
SENATOR FRANCiS G. NEWLANDS 


FRANCIS G. NEWLANDS 


HIS WORK 



















Transferred 

from card SECTiCN. 

FtB IC MO 










TO THE VOTERS OF NEVADA: 


In the campaign of 1908, when this pamphlet was first 
published, I wrote: . 

“I am a candidate for re-election to the United States 
Senate, in which I have now served you nearly six years, 
after a service of ten years in the House of Representatives. 

“I believe in the election of United States Senators by 
the people and have uniformly advocated this reform. 
Although seven out of the eleven hold-over State Senators 
were, when elected, pledged to my support, I waived this 
advantage and proposed to the Republican candidate for 
the Senate that each abide by the decision of the people 
by popular vote at the next election. This suggestion was 
accepted and it has been carried out by formal resolutions 
passed by the Democratic and Republican State Conventions 
and by an agreement entered into by the Chairmen of their 
respective State Central Committees. 

‘‘The people at large are entitled to a full consideration 
of my record before making up their minds upon this 
important question. I have therefore requested my Secretary 
to make from the Congressional Record, from addresses and 
speeches before public bodies, and from newspaper and 
magazine articles, my record upon questions vitally affecting 
the public welfare, and to give with as much minuteness 
as possible the references, so that those who desire may 
verify such record. I believe that the record prepared has 
been faithfully and conscientiously made and that it presents 
fairly my attitude upon public questions. I invite considera¬ 
tion of this record and challenge discussion and debate 
upon it.” 

The present pamphlet is an attempt to bring the record 
of my public work down to date, so far as that can be done 
within so limited a space. A large majority of the voters of 
Nevada honored me with their support, six years ago, while 
the national administration was in Republican hands. Since 
then, the Democrats have come into power and made a phe¬ 
nomenal record of, achievement, in which it has been my 
privilege to share. That the voters will now reverse their 
verdict, when promise has been transformed into perform¬ 
ance, when the margin of Democratic control in the Senate is 
small, and when the Administration asks in no uncertain 
terms for my re-election, I am unable to believe. To their 
judgment this record and my candidacy are confidently 
submitted. 








COMPILED BY 

MILLARD F. HUDSON 

WASHINGTON, D. C. 

1914 


FROM THE DEMOCRATIC PLATFORM, ADOPTED AT 
CARSON CITY, SEPTEMBER 22, 1914. 


The Democratic party of Nevada heartily endorses the 
marvelous administration of Woodrow Wilson as President 
of the United States. In less than two years his administra¬ 
tion has redeemed the party pledges, met the demand for a 
revision of the tariff, established a sound financial system, 
regulated monopolies, and provided for a trade commission; 
settled what promised to be the greatest railroad strike in 
our history, by the exercise of rare diplomacy and judgment, 
and laid out a program of constructive legislation which meets 
with the hearty support of the Nation. As a result of his 
policy of watchful waiting, we alone of the great civilized 
nations of the earth enjoy the incalculable benefits of peace, 
coupled with the great moral satisfaction of knowing that we 
have dealt fairly and wisely with a weaker nation. 

We unequivocally indorse our Senators, Francis G. New- 
lands and Key Pittman, and proudly present for reelection 
Francis G. Newlands on the merits of his unexcelled legis¬ 
lative record in Congress. He gave reclamation to the arid 
West; presented the Newlands arbitration act, an amend¬ 
ment to the Erdman act which made possible the settlement 
of a great threatened railroad strike; fathered the Federal 
trade commission bill, the greatest piece of remedial legisla¬ 
tion of the last congressional session; and stands sponsor 
for the river regulation bill and the auxiliary navy bill, the 
principles of which have been adopted as administration 


measures. 


The Carnahan Press, 332-334 C Street N. W., Washington, D. C. 







IRRIGATION 


MANY YEARS OF ACTIVITY FOR THE 

WEST 


HISTORY OF THE RECLAMATION ACT. 

Upon his settlement in Nevada Mr. Newlands made a 
careful study of the resources of the State and familiarized 
himself thoroughly with its peculiar characteristics and 
needs. lie soon perceived that, in his own words, “Nevada 
is for the most part an arid region, incapable of agricultural 
production except by the aid of irrigation.” He made large 
investments and, both alone and in company with associates, 
endeavored to promote the cause of irrigation in every 
possible way, and especially to enlist the aid of the General 
Government. In August, 1890, at a time when it seemed 
that this effort would not prevail (as, indeed, it did not 
except at the end of twelve more years of agitation and 
effort) and when most of his associates had retired from 
the field, Mr. Newlands issued an “Address to the People 
of Nevada,” containing a statement of his views upon the 
absolute necessity for the development of the water resources 
of the State, an estimate of the cost of the work, and a 
number of carefully prepared maps and plans. It was thought 
that the people of the State could in this way be roused 
to take concerted action, through the machinery of the State, 
if they were convinced that such development was practicable 
and would be a good investment. A portion of the work 
proposed in this pamphlet has since been carried out by 
the Government, and other portions of it may be expected to 
be undertaken by the Reclamation Service in the not far 
distant future. It is interesting at this time to look back 
and see how far Mr. Newlands anticipated the developments 
which have taken place. The following are a few extracts 
from the pamphlet in question. 

After giving a statement of the various reservoir sites 
and properties which Mr. Newlands had secured as the 
nucleus of a great irrigation system in the various valleys 
of the State, and after describing minutely the works which 
could be undertaken upon the Truckee, Carson, Walker and 
Humboldt Rivers, Mr. Newlands said: 

“I sum up the subject by saying that within that portion 
of our State to which I have been enabled thus far to 
pay attention, thousands of acres, as good in quality as 




6 


IRRIGATION 


can be found anywhere in the West, can be made fruitful 
by irrigation. * * * * * The question of means remains 

to be considered. It seems that we must dismiss all hope 
of aid from the General Government, except it be in donations 
of land. As the matter now stands, we must rely upon our 
own efforts, and should the Government, as has been pro¬ 
posed, grant to Nevada all the desert lands within its borders, 
the question would then be a greater one, for we would have 
to decide upon the policy for the development of a vast public 
domain. Are we to take hold of this question as a State, 
and if so, in what way? Must the counties act for them¬ 
selves, and if so, under what system? Are we to have dis¬ 
tricts for the special purpose of irrigation and water storage, 
and if so, under what plan of organization? Or are we to 
have, a mixed system of water storage by the State, and con¬ 
struction of irrigation works by counties or by districts? Or, 
finally, is this whole field to remain for private or corporate 
enterprise, and if so, are there to be laws for the protection of 
capital as well as for the interests and rights of the peo¬ 
ple 1 ? * * He * * 

“This communication is addressed to the public before 
the meeting of the political conventions and the session of 
the Legislature in the hope that it may furnish food for 
reflection and result in the adoption of a broad and compre¬ 
hensive policy. The purchases which I have made and to 
which I have alluded have simply been made to aid this 
work, and without view of profit, but if the State should 
not take charge of the matter at the coming session of the 
Legislature, I shall then hold myself free to pursue such 
a course (as a matter of private enterprise and profit) as I 
may deem proper, either to secure the reimbursement of my 
expenditures or the development of my purchases.” 

It will be observed that this was in 1890, three years 
before Mr. Newlands entered Congress. The State Legis¬ 
lature did not see fit to take up the matter, being deterred 
by the great expense of the contemplated work. But although 
these early efforts did not result in the achievement, at that 
time, of the results for which Mr. Newlands hoped, yet they 
showed his faith and his grasp of the subject; and, when 
the time came, they formed the basis of the reclamation 
work undertaken and yet to be undertaken by the Govern¬ 
ment. 

As soon as Mr. Newdands was elected to Congress, he 
entered upon the work of educating the public mind of 
the Eastern States as to the national importance of irrigation. 
With a sturdy band of Western associates he kept this 
question prominently before the people, in the debates of 
Congress, in public addresses, and in magazine and newspaper 
articles. He introduced numerous bills for specific projects 
upon each of the rivers in Nevada, and finally evolved the 
plan of a comprehensive bill embracing the entire arid region, 
composed of thirteen States and three Territories, which 
provided a revolving reclamation fund from the sales of 
public lands, to be applied to the construction of reclama¬ 
tion works, compensation to the fund being made by the sale 
of water rights in installments running over a period of years, 


IRRIGATION 


7 


and the money thus restored to the fund being used in new 
projects. This plan was hailed as an absolute solution of the 
reclamation question by all the friends of irrigation and was 
quickly incorporated in the reclamation act which finally 
passed. 


ROOSEVELT’S CHANGE OF STATEMENT. 

It will be recalled that during the campaign of 1904 a 
good deal was said about the authorship of the reclamation 
law and Mr. Roosevelt, then a candidate for re-election, took 
an active part. Certain cabinet officers were' sent out who, 
presumably by instruction of their chief, made the most 
extravagant claims for their party and particularly for Mr. 
Roosevelt, and denied that Senator Newlands was especially 
active or influential in the matter. It is interesting, there¬ 
fore, to note that Mr. Roosevelt has recently, doubtless as the 
result of more mature reflection, made a very different state¬ 
ment upon the subject, written by him and syndicated by 
The Outlook, of which he was contributing editor, in a widely- 
published series of articles under the title of “Chapters of a 
Possible Autobiography.” In one of these chapters Mr. Roose¬ 
velt says: 

“Senator Francis G. Newlands of Nevada fought hard for 
the cause of reclamation in Congress. He attempted to get 
his State to act, and when that proved hopeless, to get the 
Nation to act. ***** 

“By far the most effective of the Senators in drafting 
and pushing the bill, which became known by his name, was 
Newlands. The draft of the bill was worked over by me and 
others at several conferences and revised in important par¬ 
ticulars; my active interference was necessary to prevent it 
from being made unworkable by an undue insistence upon 
State’s rights, in accordance with the efforts of Mr. Mondell 
and other Congressmen, who consistently fought for local 
and private interests as against the interests of the people 
as a whole.” 

Mr. Newlands never attempted to deprive Mr. Roosevelt 
of credit, but has always freely acknowledged the importance 
of the influence which he exerted. Mr. Newlands’ own ac¬ 
count of the matter is as follows: 

MR. NEWLANDS’ OWN STORY. 

Referring to the history of the Reclamation Act, Mr. 
Newlands stated that, after many years of agitation, the 
Western men had secured from both the Democratic and Re¬ 
publican parties a declaration in their platforms favoring 
national irrigation and, aty the session of Congress next en¬ 
suing (being the last session of McKinley’s first term), the 
question was discussed by Shafroth and Bell of Colorado and 
himself as to whether they should press the question at that 
session or allow it to go over. At that time there were but 
three bills pending which provided for immediate constructive 
work, two byl Shafroth and Bell for projects in their State, 
and one by himself for a project in Nevada. 

A hearing before the Irrigation Committee of the House 
was impossible. “At that time,” said Mr. Newlands, “we 


8 


IRRIGATION 


could not even get a session of the committee, so opposed 
were the ruling forces of the House to any consideration of 
the question; and the result was that, in order to get the 
matter considered, we urged a hearing before the Committee 
on Public Lands (although that committee did not have juris¬ 
diction of the subject) through accidental jurisdiction 
acquired by the fact that Mr. Shafroth’s bill had inadvertently 
been referred to that committee. 

“It soon developed that there was a great difference of 
opinion amongst the Western members on the subject, and we 
came to the conclusion that we could not hope to persuade 
the East until the men of the West were united; and so, 
with a view to shaping a broad and comprehensive national 
measure that would include the entire arid region and secure 
the support of every State and Territory in it, I examined 
carefully all the bills that had been presented on the subject. 
I consulted Mr. Newell, now the head of the Reclamation 
Service, Mr. Mead of Wyoming, the Secretary of the Interior 
and others who had the cause of irrigation at heart, and 
received most valuable suggestions from Mr. Shafroth and 
Mr. Bell. Finally, after serious consideration, I presented a 
bill, on January 26, 1901, which contained every essential 
feature of the Reclamation Act now upon the statute book. 
It provided that the receipts from the sale of public lands 
should be put into a reclamation fund, which should be used 
for the construction of reclamation projects; that the Sec¬ 
retary of the Interior should have the power to withdraw 
from entry, not only the lands essential for the construction 
of irrigation works, but also the lands to be settled; that he 
should have the power to enter immediately upon the con¬ 
struction of works wherever he deemed a project feasible, 
the only limitation upon this power being that there should 
be present in the fund the money necessary to carry out the 
contracts ; it provided against land monopoly by providing for 
small homes for actual settlers, not exceeding eighty acres 
in area, and provided for the destruction of monopolies of 
land by providing that no private owner of land could secure 
a water right for more than eighty acres, thus compelling 
the subdivision of large areas when they come under the 
operation of the Act. The bill also provided for the pay¬ 
ment of the cost of projects by the settlers, in ten annual 
installments, without interest, the fund being thus maintained 
as a revolving fund for future operations. 

NEWLANDS’ BILL ADOPTED BY WESTERN MEN. 

“This bill was considered at a meeting of a number of 
Senators and Representatives, at my house, and, upon motion 
of Senator Pettigrew, was approved. Senator Hansbrough 
introiuced this bill in the Senate, the following day. This 
bill was immediately accepted by Western sentiment as a 
satisfactory solution of the problem and, before the close of 
the session, on the 4th of March, the movement for its 
passage had made such headway that it received the sanc¬ 
tion of the Committee on Public Lands of the Senate and its 
leading provisions had been approved by the House Commit¬ 
tee on Irrigation, which committee had been moved to its 
consideration by the overwhelming sentiment of the West. 


IRRIGATION 


9 


“All this was accomplished before Mr. Roosevelt became 
President. The Western press announced that the bill would 
be pressed at the following session and, when Mr. Roosevelt 
succeeded to the presidency, it was confidently expected that 
it would receive his powerful aid. 

“Meanwhile, however, a movement to defeat the bill and 
to substitute for it a measure more in harmony with the 
Wyoming view, was organized in that State. That State had 
first favored the cession of the arid lands to the States, and 
then the construction of dams by the national government 
without compensation. Wyoming had adopted advanced 
views on this subject, had framed the most perfect code of 
irrigation laws then in existence, and was desirous of main¬ 
taining state control of all the irrigation projects within its 
boundaries. And so, a convention was called, at Cheyenne, 
of representatives from the States of North and South Da¬ 
kota, Nebraska, Kansas, Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, and 
Idaho, most of which had irrigation departments organized 
under state engineers in sympathy with the views of Wy¬ 
oming. At that convention, of which Mr. Mondell, Senator 
Warren and others were conspicuous members, the so-called 
State Engineers’ Bill was unanimously endorsed. That bill 
accepted the general suggestion of my bill as to the dedica¬ 
tion of receipts from land sales to irrigation development, 
but proposed the division of those receipts amongst the 
States, leaving the irrigation projects to be constructed and 
operated under the direction of the state engineers. 

“When Congress met for the first session of Mr. Roose¬ 
velt’s administration, a message from him was received which 
advised irrigation legislation but did not recommend any par¬ 
ticular plan. We immediately found ourselves confronted by 
a call to the Western Senators and Representatives to meet 
at Senator Warren’s committee room. At that meeting, at 
which about forty Western Representatives were present, 
Senator Warren brought forward the State Engineers’ Bill. 
It was warmly fought by those of us who believed in thor¬ 
oughly nationalizing irrigation, who believed that every 
stream and river and all their tributaries, regardless of state 
lines, should be made the subject of comprehensive study and 
the adoption of plans to secure the largest development of the 
entire drainage area. 

“The result of this contention was that the State Engi¬ 
neers’ Bill was rejected. Then it was that the Committee of 
Seventeen, composed of one Senator or Representative from 
each State or Territory affected, was selected to harmonize 
the differences of the Western men. This committee was in 
session thirty days, endeavoring to reconcile the views of 
those who supported my bill and those who favored the State 
Engineers’ Bill; and at the end of that time, the Reclamation 
Act was reported, containing every essential provision of my 
bill. Mr. Hansbrough was instructed to offer this bill in the 
Senate and I to offer it in the House. 

“The passage of the bill by the Senate wasi assured, 
because of. the large representation from the West in that 
body. The difficulty was in the House, where the Western 
delegation was proportionately small and in which the Re- 


10 


IRRIGATION 


publican leaders had arrayed themselves in opposition to the 
bill. Mr. Cannon announced that the bill would never pass 
and declared his purpose to offer as a substitute a bill for 
the cession of the arid lands to the States in which they 
were situated. When this announcement was made, I publicly 
stated that both parties had declared for national irrigation; 
that the Republican party, as well as the Democratic party, 
was pledged to it; and that if the Republican party, through 
its leaders, proposed to substitute the state cession bill for 
national irrigation, we were seriously considering accepting 
that as the only possible solution of a grave question involv¬ 
ing the prosperity of a large section of the country. 

WHAT ROOSEVELT DID. 

“Shortly after this declaration, I was summoned to the 
White House by Mr. Roosevelt. He informed me that he had 
heard of the possibility of the acceptance of state cession, 
and expressed his reluctance to accept that policy. My reply 
was that we had agitated this matter for many years; that 
we had succeeded in getting pledges from both parties for 
national irrigation; and that if the party in power refused, 
through its leaders in the House, to carry out the party 
pledge, there would be nothing left to us but to accept a 
modified proposition. I informed Mr. Roosevelt that I agreed 
with him entirely as to the unwisdom of state cession, and 
I was willing to do anything within my power to prevent 
it. I assured him that the Democratic party would support 
my bill. Upon this he expressed surprise that that party 
with the views it held regarding state rights and the cen¬ 
tralization of power in the Federal Government, should frame 
a bill so national in its character. My answer was that the 
matter had been thoroughly discussed and the Democrats 
were prepared to vote for it; that their policy in the matter 
was one of Constructive, not Obstructive, Democracy. I said: 
‘Mr. President, the sole difficulty is with your own party;’ 
and I gave him the names of ten or twelve leading 
Republicans in the House who were obstructing this bill, and 
importuned him to see them personally and urge the accept¬ 
ance of national irrigation as an administration measure. 

“At this interview Mr. Roosevelt also asked me whether 
I did not think it would be wise to present a bill for a single 
project, involving the expenditure of a quarter or half million 
dollars, rather than the general bill proposed, his idea being 
that a bill for a small project would be the entering wedge 
for future legislation. My reply was: ‘Mr. President, we can 
pass a big bill as well as we can pass a small one. If we pass 
a little bill for one project, it will take five years for its 
completion, and Congress will then take five years longer to 
determine whether it is a success or not. We cannot imperil 
the cause of national irrigation by a single project. We can 
pass a general bill, if you can secure the moderation of the 
opposition of the leading members of your own party.’ It 
was not necessary to urge this upon Mr. Roosevelt. He was 
heart and soul in the movement and threw himself into the 
advocacy of the measure with a zeal all his own. The result 
was that, whilst the leaders to whom I have referred voted 


IRRIGATION 


11 


against the bill, they allowed it to be considered in the House 
and, after a spirited debate, the bill passed. But let me say 
that, although the House was Republican, the measure and 
the votes which passed it were Democratic. Of the votes 
against the bill, three-fourths were Republican and one-fourth 
Democratic. 

“And, so I say that, whilst we recognize the splendid 
advocacy of Roosevelt and the pertinacious and continued 
efforts of Republicans who, like him, stood with us, yet the 
bill was passed by a union of Democracy with President 
Roosevelt and his Republican friends of like faith; and I in¬ 
sist upon it that history records that the bill, in all its essen¬ 
tial features, was framed by a Democrat and passed the House 
of Representatives by a vote of which the majority was 
Democratic.” 

Senator Newlands has continued to be a consistent friend 
of Western development and especially of the reclamation 
service and the interests of the settlers. It is impossible, 
in the brief space here available, to mention all his work. 
The calendar which follows shows, in the most condensed 
form, some of his activities in this direction. 

The attention of the reader is especially invited to the 
matter under the head of “Waterways,” where Nevada's inter¬ 
est in this subject is explained and the great extension of irri¬ 
gation development certain to follow the carrying out of Mr. 
Newlands' plans pointed out; also to the letter of Mr. Newell, 
Chief of the Reclamation Service, printed under “Matters of 
Interest to Nevada,” with reference to the influential part 
which Mr. Newlands has played and the importance of his 
proposals for the conservation of the water resources of the 
country. 

PARTIAL CALENDAR OF MR. NEWLANDS' RECORD ON 
MATTERS RELATING TO IRRIGATION. 

1890. 

Aug. —. Address to the people of Nevada on Water Stor¬ 

age and Irrigation. 

1894. 

Aug. 11. Remarks in House on Reclamation of Arid Lands. 

Congressional Record, volume 26, part 8, 
page 8427. 

1896. 

Feb. 17. Remarks in House on Irrigation Investigations. 

Cong. Rec., vol. 28, pt. 2, p. 1815. 

1898. 

Mar. 14. Introduced H. R. 9080 for' construction of reser¬ 
voirs in the arid region. 

31—8—2793. 

1899. 

Dec. 19. Introduced H. R. 4751, directing Secretary of In¬ 
terior to make surveys and report cost of erect¬ 
ing reservoirs in arid region, and making ap¬ 
propriations for same. 

33—1—594. 


12 


IRRIGATION 


1900. 
Dec. 17. 

1901. 
Jan. 9. 

Jan. 11 & 
Feb. 9. 
Jan. 15. 

Jan. 15. 

Jan. 15. 
Jan. 26. 

Jan. 30. 
Feb. 6. 

Feb. 19. 
Feb. 19. 
Feb. 19. 

Feb. 19. 
Mar. 2. 
Mar. 2-. 
Mar. 12. 
Mar. 12. 

Dec. 2. 

Dec. 2. 


Introduced H. R. 12844 for the disposition and 
settlement of arid lands, etc. 

34—1—386. 

Remarks in House: Storage Reservoirs—The Arid 
Lands Question—Missouri Headwaters Improve¬ 
ment. 

34—1—784. 

Made statements at hearings before House Com¬ 
mittee on Arid Lands. 

Offered amendment for construction of two reser¬ 
voirs on the Humboldt River. 

34—2—1056. 

Remarks in House on Missouri headwaters im¬ 
provement. 

34—2—1055. 

Do. on Humboldt River improvement. 

34—2—1056. 

Introduced H. R. 13846 for the reclamation of arid 
lands. 

34—2—1542. 

Remarks, in House, on Irrigation. 

34—2—1700. 

Introduced H. R. 14088, to construct reservoirs, 
etc., in the arid region. 

34—3—2047. 

Remarks on cost of determining water supply. 

34—3—2665. 

Remarks on Nevada and its need of irrigation. 

34—3—2662. 

Remarks in House, Labor’s Intelligent Apprecia¬ 
tion of the Reclamation Projects. 

34—3—2664. 

Remarks on Nevada and Irrigation. 

34—3—2665. 

Introduced H. R. 14326, to store water, etc. 

34—4—3484. 

Introduced H. R. 14338, same. 

34—4—3605. 

Remarks on plan for storing water. 

34—4—3565. 

Remarks in House, to double appropriation for 
irrigation investigations. 

34— 4—3572. 

Introduced H. R. 51, to authorize and begin the 
construction of reservoirs, canals, etc., for the 
irrigation of arid lands in Nevada. 

35— 1—52. 

Introduced H. R. 52, to provide for the disposi¬ 
tion of arid public lands, to authorize the con¬ 
struction of reservoirs for the storage of waters, 
etc. 


35—1—836. 


IRRIGATION 


13 


1902. 
Jan. 21. 


Jan. 21. 


Mar. 8. 
Mar. 10. 
Mar. 20. 
Apr. 7. 
May 14. 
June 12. 


June 13. 

July 6. 

1903. 

Oct. 15. V 

Nov. 1. 

1904. 
Mar. 25. 


Dec. 26. 


1905. 
Jan. 17. 


March 2. 


June —. 

June 30. 

1906. 
Sept. —'. 

1910. 
Feb. 17. 


Remarks in House—Western Irrigation Measure-— 
Competition of Western with Eastern Farmers 
(reply to Sibley). 

35—1—836. 

Introduced H. R. 9676, appropriating receipts from 
sales and disposal of public lands in certain 
States and Territories to construction of Irriga¬ 
tion works for reclamation of arid lands (this is 
the reclamation act now in force). 

35—1—851. 

H. R. Report 794 on above bill. 

35—3—2549. 

Same; views of minority. 

35—3—2549. 

Remarks in House on Irrigation of arid lands. 

35—3—3088. 

H. R. Report 1468 on H. R. 9315, same. 

35—4—3812. 

Remarks in House on Reclamation of arid lands. 

35—8—253. 

Remarks in House on H. R. 9315, irrigation of 
arid lands. 

35—7—6672. 

Remarks in House, same. 

35—7—6631. 

Article in Washington Post, on Irrigation. 

“Watering the Desert”; article in The Youth’s 
Companion. 

Article in Twentieth Century West on Irrigation. 

Reform of Land Laws—State Cooperation in Irri¬ 
gation—Nevada Irrigation Statute, remarks in 
House. 

38—4—3608. 

Walker River storage. Correspondence about 

Walker River water rights. 

Walker River storage. Correspondence about 

Walker River water rights. 

Resources of the Semi-Arid Region; Senate Docu¬ 
ment No. 191 published at Mr. Newlands’ re¬ 
quest. 

Remarks at Banquet to Irrigation Party at Red 
Bluffs, Cal. 

Remarks at Sheridan, Wyoming. 

“Irrigation as a Social Problem”; Article in The 
Pacific Monthly. 

Remarks in Senate on S. 5705, sale of certificates 
to aid reclamation projects. 

45—2—2021. 


14 


IRRIGATION 


Mar. 7. 

• 

Mar. 25. 

June 22. 

June 24. 

June 25. 

1911. 
Mar. 4. 

1913. 
May 17. 

1914. 
Feb. 6. 


Remarks in Senate, amendment to agricultural ap¬ 
propriation bill, for a report on the water re¬ 
sources of the country. 

45—3—2837. 

Remarks in Senate on S. 6953, for sale of surplus 
water under irrigation systems. 

45—4—3742. 

Remarks in Senate on H. R. 18398, for advances 
to the reclamation fund. 

45—8—8752. 

Remarks in Senate, report of committee on recla¬ 
mation projects; defense of the service and 
against turning work over to army engineers. 

45—8—8902. 

Remarks in Senate, report of the Senate Com¬ 
mittee on Irrigation, relative to the reclama¬ 
tion work. 

45— 8—9061. 

Remarks in Senate, same subject. 

46— 4—4287. 

Addressed Conference on Irrigation held by Sec¬ 
retary of the Interior Lane, at Washington, 
D. C. 

Introduced S. 4394, to extend the time of payment 
under the reclamation act. 


LABOR LEGISLATION 


15 


THE RECORD OF SENATOR NEWLANDS ON LABOR 
LEGISLATION, HOURS AND COMPENSATION 
OF LABOR, ARBITRATION, ETC. 


During his entire public service, Mr. Newlands has been 
a consistent supporter of the eight-hour day and of fair 
treatment for labor and labor organizations. Whenever such 
questions rose in Congress he has invariably given his voice 
and vote on the side of labor. A brief statement of some of 
his utterances and activities follows: 

HOURS AND COMPENSATION OF LABOR. 

On June 2, 1894, the House having under consideration 
the following resolution: 

“Resolved by the House of Representatives, That the 
Commissioners of the District of Columbia are requested to 
report to this House their reasons for reducing the pay of 
unskilled laborers in the District from $1.50 per day and 
$1.25 per day to $1 per day; also if a like reduction has 
been ordered or is contemplated in the remuneration of 
other employees of the District of Columbia”— 

Mr. Newlands said: 

“Mr. Speaker: If I may be permitted a single remark, I 
wish to suggest to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Goldzier) 
that this inquiry be extended and that we inquire into 
the effect of the retrenchment on the part of the United 
States Government upon the general condition of labor 
throughout the country. I believe that this is a time for ex¬ 
travagance, not a time for economy. I believe it is a time 
when the man of wealth, the man of capital, should employ 
all the labor that is within ,his command. I believe it is a 
time when the Government of the United States, the richest 
organization in the country, having its hands upon the 
wealth of every man through the power of taxation, should 
liberally expend the public funds so as to sustain the labor 
of the country, whilst it is suffering most. It is a time for 
the extension, not the suspension, of public works.” * 

On February 9, 1906, the Senate having under consid¬ 
eration the bill (H. R. 12320) making appropriations to 
supply urgent deficiencies, etc.— 

Mr. Newlands said: 

“Mr. President: I am opposed to any modification what¬ 
ever of the limitations imposed upon the hours of labor of 
laborers and mechanics in the public service, whether that 
labor be the labor of American laborers or of alien laborers. 
I believe in the eight-hour law. I believe it is a humane 
law, and I do not propose to be humane to Americans only 
and inhumane to aliens. 

“If there is a place in God’s world where the eight-hour 
law ought to prevail it is on the Isthmus of Panama, where 
labor is exceedingly distressing, where the heat of the 
sun is such as to make it almost impossible to labor during 



16 


LABOR LEGISLATION 


certain hours of the day. I do not believe that in that 
climate any man ought to be called upon to work between 
the hours of 12 and 3, and if we apply the eight-hour 
law to that locality the laborers will be called upon to work 
from 7 to 12, a period of five hours, and from 3 until 6, a 
period of three hours, making a total of eight and I think 
that is all any man ought to be called on to work in that 
climate. 

“I believe the work will be more economically and 
efficiently done if we attend to the nourishment, the recrea¬ 
tion, and the rest of the men engaged in that locality, 
whether they come from this country or whether they come 
from Santo Domingo or Martinique. I believe you will get 
more out of an eight-hour day in that locality than you 
will get out of a ten-hour day; that if a man is called upon 
to work there for ten hours that he will really do only eight 
hours’ work and that in practical efficiency the eight-hour 
day will accomplish as much as the ten-hour day. So I am 
opposed to this modification and I shall vote against it if 
I have an opportunity.” 

EIGHT-HOUR LAW IN COLORADO. 

In an address at Virginia City, October 11, 1904, Mr. 
Newlands said, in part: 

“In Colorado, when the Supreme Court declared the 
eight-hour law to be unconstitutional, did the laboring people 
then resort to violence? O, no; they passed a constitutional 
amendment by a public vote, which would compel the legis¬ 
lature to pass an eight-hour law, and offered that amend¬ 
ment and it was carried by a majority of sixty thousand, 
and it compelled the legislature to pass an eight-hour law. 
Both parties pledged themselves to carry out that consti¬ 
tutional amendment. When they met and the legislature was 
elected, the action of the great corporations of Colorado 
prevented the passage of that law; by the bribery and cor¬ 
ruption of these great corporations and trusts that bill was 
defeated, and there was the first commencement of a con¬ 
dition of anarchy. The working men of the State were 
aroused and indignant and they did what, in my judg¬ 
ment, was an imprudent thing. They ought still to have 
kept within the law and gone before the people and elected 
another legislature and forced upon that legislature the 
duty of passing an eight-hour law. But they resorted to the 
sympathetic strike and other methods, and the entire mili¬ 
tary of Colorado was used for the suppression and destruc¬ 
tion of the rights of citizens. They resorted to the extra¬ 
ordinary method of deporting men from their homes into 
other States, because their views differed from the views 
of their employers as to the hours of labor and the amount 
of compensation. This condition came from the perfidy 
of the representatives of the people; and if you ask me 
who were the real anarchists, I will tell you the real an¬ 
archists were the men who controlled the legislature and 
defeated the popular will. We have been spared such con¬ 
ditions here, because the workingmen of this State know 
that the right way to secure their interests is through the 


LABOR LEGISLATION 


17 


law, through the ballot, the most potential agency; because 
they have demanded of their representatives proper legis¬ 
lation in their interests and secured such legislation, and 
such legislation has been approved by the Supreme Court 
of this State; and the man who would imperil that legis¬ 
lation that has been gained through so many years of 
struggle, is a rash man, indeed. ***** All the 
employers throughout the country are organized for the 
purpose of suppressing this labor legislation and of pre¬ 
venting such legislation in the future. So far as I am con¬ 
cerned, I do not want to see a step taken backward on 
this labor question; and I wish in the twenty-four hours we 
shall have one-third for work, one-third for sleep, and one- 
third for food and recreation.” 

THE EIGHT-HOUR LAW ON PUBLIC WORK. 

One of the most important pieces of legislation for the 
benefit of labor was the law requiring government con¬ 
tractors to limit the hours of their employees to eight hours 
per day. This measure Mr. Newlands supported actively in 
the House on May 21, 1900, and in the course of his remarks 
said: 

“Mr. Speaker: The tendency of all enlightened legis¬ 
lation is to improve the conditions of labor throughout the 
country, to limit the hours of labor, to improve the sanitation 
of the factories in which labor is conducted, to restrain and 
prevent child labor, and to impose other restrictions upon 
employers in the interest of the laboring classes. The Gov¬ 
ernment of the United States, following out this enlight¬ 
ened line of legislation, has declared by law that in its 
capacity as an employer it will only work men eight hours 
a day, and this the laboring classes of the country them¬ 
selves have requested. 

“Now, the United States Government, going one step 
further, declares in the pending bill that when it enters 
into a contract with an individual for the construction of 
a building or for any public work, the contractor shall work 
the men only eight hours a day. In other words, by law 
the United States instructs its employees, the contractors, 
that they shall work their laboring men only eight hours a 
day. Now, I ask what objection can there be to such a law? 
Is there any one of us, acting as an employer of labor, who 
could not exercise the right of determining that his em¬ 
ployees should work only eight hours a day? * * * Is 

there any one of us who, in entering into a contract with 
a man for the construction of a building, could not place 
in that contract a stipulation that the contractor should 
work his men only eight hours a day? And the Government 
as an employer of contractors has the same right, in the 
interest of humanity, that any individual has, and that is all 
that this law means.” 

HOURS OF LABOR OF RAILROAD TELEGRAPHERS. 

In March, 1907, when the bill limiting the hours of rail¬ 
way telegraphers came up in the Senate, Mr. Newlands not 
only supported the measure but, when the Committee on 


18 


LABOR LEGISLATION 


Conference of the Senate and House reported an amendment 
which restricted the benefits of the law to train dispatchers 
and omitted other telegraphers, he was the first to perceive 
this fact. He called attention to this error and insisted 
upon its correction, and it was through his watchfulness 
that the bill was passed in its present form, limiting the 
hours of all railroad telegraphers. 

AUTOMATIC COUPLERS ON RAILROADS. 

February 23, 1903, Mr. Newlands supported the bill re¬ 
quiring carriers engaged in interstate commerce to equip 
their cars with automatic couplers and continuous brakes, 
which was carried. 

EXEMPTION OF LABOR UNIONS FROM ANTI-TRUST 
LAW. 

In the House on June 2, 1900, Mr. Newlands voted for 
an amendment to the Sherman anti-trust act, exempting 
labor organizations from the provisions of the law. 

LABOR IN HAWAII. 

On April 6, 1900, and again on February 7, 1902, Mr. 
Newlands addressed the House on the Hawaiian Islands, tak¬ 
ing strong ground against the admission of Asiatic laborers 
to the Hawaiian Islands and in favor of replacing them with 
white labor. 

EMPLOYERS' LIABILITY BILL. 

In his bill for the national incorporation of interstate 
carriers, Mr. Newlands has made provision for the settle¬ 
ment of the question of employers’ liability and for an acci¬ 
dent and insurance fund for aged and disabled employees, 
as well as for compensation to the families of those killed 
in the line of duty. He has frequently urged these measures 
in the Senate and in public addresses. 

INJURIES TO GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES. 

While the employers’ liability bill was under considera¬ 
tion in the Senate in 1907 and again in 1912, Mr. Newlands 
spoke in favor of the most liberal provision, giving injured 
employees, and the families of those killed on duty, the right 
to recover compensation as a matter of right and without 
resort to the courts. 

USE OF AUTOMATIC DUMPING ASH-PANS. 

On May 27 and 28, 1908, Mr. Newlands, as a member 
of the Senate Committee on Interstate Commerce, joined 
in a favorable report on the bill: requiring carriers engaged 
in interstate commerce to equip their locomotives with auto¬ 
matic-dumping ash-pans, and voted for the bill on its passage. 

CLAIMS OF EMPLOYEES IN PUBLIC BUILDINGS FOR 
OVERTIME. 

On Jan. 21, 1912, Mr. Newlands began an effort to secure 
the payment of the claims 1 of a number of government em- 


LABOR LEGISLATION 


19 


ployees on public buildings who had been, in violation of 
law, required to work more than eight hours a day, some of 
them for many years. Among these claims is one due John 
Glanzmann, of Carson City, amounting to $3,296. The justice 
of these claims is acknowledged. It is, however, unfortu¬ 
nately, sometimes a difficult thing to secure the payment of 
a claim against the Government, however just it may be; 
but Senator Newlands is pushing these claims by every means 
in his power, and intends to continue doing so until they are 
paid. 

PROTECTION OF FREE LABOR. 

On May 21, 1900, the House having under consideration 
the bill (H. R. 5450) to protect free labor from prison com¬ 
petition, Mr. Newlands spoke strongly in favor of the bill. 

MEDIATION AND CONCILIATION BETWEEN RAILROADS 

AND THEIR EMPLOYEES. 

Soon after becoming chairman of the Senate Committee 
on Interstate Commerce, Senator Newlands introduced a bill 
(S. 2517) for the amendment of the Erdman Act, providing 
for mediation and conciliation between railroads and their 
employees. A great strike was pending, on the railroads east 
of Chicago and north of the Ohio River, involving about 
80,000 employees and threatening to paralyze the business 
of the country. The railroads and their employees were 
unable to agree, but both were willing to submit their differ¬ 
ences to arbitration, providing the Erdman Act, which it was 
agreed was out of date and inadequate to meet the situation, 
were amended. The bill, under Mr. Newlands’ guidance, be¬ 
came a law in less than thirty days. The President at once 
appointed a mediation board, and under it not only the strike 
which was imminent at that time, but many others since, 
have been averted. The most recent instance is the settle¬ 
ment of the differences between the Southern Pacific Com¬ 
pany and its employees—a matter in which the people of 
Nevada are deeply interested. This legislation has been 
called the greatest advance made in laws for the preserva¬ 
tion of industrial peace in the history of the country. The 
newspapers of the entire country joined in a chorus of praise 
for the measure and of the way it was handled. To repro¬ 
duce a tithe of the flattering newspaper editorials which 
Mr. Newlands has in his scrapbooks would require a volume 
much larger than this. 


NEWSPAPER COMMENTS ON THE NEWLANDS AMEND¬ 
MENT TO THE ERDMAN ARBITRATION ACT. 

The changes in the Erdman act that are proposed in the 
bill prepared by Senator Newlands, of Nevada, are in accord¬ 
ance with the wishes of the employers and employes whom 
the bill’s provisions affect. * * * Any plan which will 

spare the public the losses and dangers involved in a railroad 
strike is worth trying, and the endorsement of the Newlands 
measure by employes and employers alike is a prime argu¬ 
ment in its favor. 


—Newark Evening News. 



20 


LABOR LEGISLATION 


The enactment of these amendments would go far to¬ 
ward insuring industrial peace, and would therefore be as 
much in the interest of the public as of the railroads and 
their men. 

—Portland (Me.) Eastern Argus. 

Senator Newlands, who has an unusual record of useful 
legislation, has introduced a measure for the arbitration of 
labor disputes on railroads. The bill came from the Na¬ 
tional Civic Federation with the endorsement of railroad 
labor organizations and of railroad presidents. * * * * * 

It will put a railroad strike on the list of the practically 
impossible and will form a model for the States to follow as 
to other labor troubles not involving interstate commerce. 

—Duluth News-Tribune. 

The very fact that Senator Newlands has been offered 
and accepted as the proper person to introduce the measure, 
not on political grounds, but because he can best promote 
its progress through Congress, is indicative of the determi¬ 
nation of its friends to keep it aloof from even the suspicion 
of partisan taint. 

—Christian Science Monitor. 


The Senate has done a very sensible thing in passing 
Mr. Newlands’ bill increasing the size of the boards of arbi¬ 
tration designed to settle railroad disputes. 

—New York Tribune. 


The general public, no less than those on whom it more 
directly bears and its object has especial relation to, have 
reason to approve the Newlands bill amending the Erdman 
arbitration act. 

—Richmond News-Leader. 


The Senate has done well in promptly passing the New¬ 
lands bill. 


—Norfolk Virginian. 


It is certainly a better measure than the Erdman act, 
and that act itself has been of little use to the public in the 
last half dozen years. 

—Wall Street Journal. 


That a serious strike upon the great railroads has been 
averted by the willingness of both sides to arbitrate under 
the Newlands amendment to the Erdman act is a mighty 
satisfactory situation. 

—Staunton (Mass.) Gazette. 

Nothing that the present administration has so far 
achieved is deserving of more credit than the vigorous action 
which brought about the quick passage of the Newlands arbi¬ 
tration bill, just in time to prevent the threatened strike on 
the big Eastern railroads. 


Washington Post. 


LABOR LEGISLATION 


21 


In the railroad world the Newlands arbitration act is 
being administered with success and without loss to the 
public. The same principle may be applied to the settlement 
of local strikes at no distant day. 

—San Francisco Evening Post. 


The usefulness of the new Newlands act for conciliation 
and mediation in labor disputes that affect interstate com¬ 
merce is promptly proved again by the resumption of work 
by the striking employes of the Southern Pacific Railroad. 

—Worcester (Mass.) Post. 

Francis G. Newlands is one of the seven men now sit¬ 
ting in the United States senate who hailed originally from 
Mississippi. 

Likewise, he is becoming, year by year, more generally 
recognized as among the half dozen clearest-visioned, 
broadest-intentioned members of the upper house. 

He is no single-purposed individual, obsessed by a par¬ 
ticular hobby. This is true despite the fact that for ten 
years his hardest work has been toward arousing national 
sentiment for a system of internal improvement and con¬ 
servation, controlled by the federal government, compre¬ 
hensive and all-embracing, extending from boundary to 
boundary. 

This thought is suggested by the two places in the news 
of the week taken by Senator Newlands. He is the sponsor 
for the Newlands bill for the establishment of the board of 
river regulation, indorsed by the experts of the federal gov¬ 
ernment, and to be adopted as the administration method 
of dealing with the flood, conservation and navigation prob¬ 
lem. This measure, finally amended, was introduced last 
Monday. 

On Tuesday comes the news that his amendment to the 
Erdman arbitration law has been fixed upon by labor rep¬ 
resentatives, railroad managers, House and Senate leaders, 
and the President, as the act which, when passed as an 
urgency measure, will afford the machinery whereby can 
be obviated what would be the most disastrous railroad 
strike in American railway history. 

One hundred thousand conductors and trainmen on east¬ 
ern railroads are demanding increases in wages equivalent 
to $17,000,000. The railroad managers declare the demands 
are impossible of payment without crippling the roads and 
jeopardizing their securities. The trainmen point to the 
increased cost of living on the one hand, and extravagant and 
inefficient railway management on the other, as justification 
for their demands. 

Mr. Newlands' bill for the rivers has been agreed upon 
as the way to solution of the river problem. 

And Mr. Newlands’ bill to amend the Erdman arbitra¬ 
tion act has been agreed upon as the way to have settled 
amicably a threatened great labor war. 

Either achievement would be enough to have made one 
man’s life worth while. 


—New Orleans Item. 


22 


LABOR LEGISLATION 


Apparently the Newlands act, amending the Erdman 
act, for the arbitration of labor disputes, became law just in 
time. The Southern Pacific officers are quoted as saying that 
they will take advantage of it in their present difficulty. 
Ninety-six per cent of the trainmen and conductors on the 
Pacific Division of the system have voted to strike unless their 
demands with relation to the electric lines are settled satis¬ 
factorily. The engineers, firemen and engine men have re¬ 
quested the trainmen and conductors to defer action until 
they can determine where they stand. 

—New York Sun. 


PRISON-MADE GOODS. 

The mediation act and that regarding the transportation 
of convict-made goods in interstate trade are examples of 
the opportunities for usefulness which come to a man of long 
experience in Congress, when his party comes into power and 
he is placed in a position of responsffiility at the head of 
a great committee. Mr. Newlands recently favored and se¬ 
cured a favorable report by his committee on Senator Hughes’ 
bill (S. 2321) on this subject. This is a measure in which 
the labor organizations of the country are deeply interested. 


CALENDAR OF SENATOR NEWLANDS’ WORK ON LABOR 

LEGISLATION. 


1894. 

June 2. Remarks, in the House, in favor of providing work 
for the unemployed. 

(Cong. Rec., vol. 26, pt. 6, p. 5665.) 

1900. 

April 6. Remarks, in the House, on conditions in the Ha¬ 
waiian Islands, and against the admission of 
Asiatic laborers. 

33—4—3851. 

May 21. The House having under consideration the bill to 
free labor from the competition of prison-made 
goods, Mr. Newlands spoke in favor of it. 

33—7—5807. 

May 21. Spoke, in the House, in support of the eight-hour 
law on government work. 

33—7—5803. 

June 2. Voted for an amendment to the Sherman law to 
exempt labor organizations. 

33—7—6494. 

1902. 

Feb. 7. Spoke, in the House, on conditions in the Ha¬ 
waiian Islands, and against the admission of 
Asiatic laborers. 

35— 2—1456. 

1903. 

Feb. 23. Supported and voted for the bill requiring rail¬ 
roads to equip their cars with automatic 
couplers. 

36— 3—2522. 



LABOR LEGISLATION 


23 


1904. 
Oct. 11. 

In an address at Carson City, Mr. Newlands took 
strong ground regarding the labor troubles in 
Colorado, denouncing the treatment of the labor¬ 
ing men there. 

1906. 
Jan. 30.* 

Spoke in the Senate in favor of a National In¬ 
corporation Act, and advocated an accident in¬ 
surance fund under governmental supervision. 
40-2—1744-6. 

Feb. 9. 

Spoke in the Senate in support of the eight-hour 
law on government work. 

40—3—2343. 

April 4. 

In the Senate advocated a National Incorporation 
law and an insurance fund. 

40-5—4717-31. 

May 14. 

Do. 

40—7—6804-18. 

1907. 
Mar. 3. 

While the bill limiting the hours of railway teleg¬ 
raphers was up in the Senate Mr. Newlands not 
only supported it, but was the first to discover 
that while train dispatchers were included, other 
train telegraphers were omitted; and it was 
upon his insistence that the bill was amended to 
include them. 

41—5—4539, 4636. 

1908. 
Mar. 17. 

Spoke in the Senate in favor of increasing the 
compensation of government employees. 
42—2—3457. 

Mar. 21. 

Do. 

42—2—3708. 

May 27. 

Mr. Newlands spoke in favor of the bill relating 
to compensation for injuries to government em¬ 
ployees. 

42—7—7036. 

May 27. 

Joined in a favorable report by the Senate Com¬ 
mittee on Interstate Commerce on the bill re¬ 
quiring railroads to equip their locomotives with 
automatic dumping ashpans. 

42—11—7437. 

May 28. 

Voted for the bill on its passage. 

42—11—7519. 

1912. 
Jan. 21. 

Introduced an amendment to the omnibus claims 
bill to pay a number of employees on public 
buildings for overtime. Senate Document No. 
985, 62d Cong., 3d sess., was printed, giving the 
history of the claims. In the present Congress, 
Mr. Newlands introduced a bill (S. 4297) for the 
payment of these claims. 


24 


TRUST LEGISLATION 


May 6. Supported the Workmen’s Compensation and Em¬ 
ployers’ Liability Bill (S. 5382). 

48—6—5937. 

1913. 

June 17. Introduced S. 2517, to provide for mediation and 
conciliation between railroads and their em¬ 
ployees. 

1914. 

Amg. 29. As chairman of the Committee on Interstate Com¬ 
merce of the Senate, favored and secured a 
favorable report upon Senate bill No. 2321, re¬ 
lating to the transportation of goods made by 
convict labor. 


TRUST LEGISLATION 


25 


TRUST LEGISLATION—FEDERAL TRADE 

COMMISSION 


Senator Newlands has long been an advocate of the 
regulation of trusts by national legislation. In a letter to 
Mr. Ralph M. Easley, Secretary of the Conference on Trusts 
held^at Chicago, September 20, 1899, he wrote, in part: 

“The only adequate remedy is through federal legislation, 
the operation of which will be uniform throughout the Re¬ 
public. ***** The first step should be the organi¬ 
zation of a Bureau of Industry, somewhat resembling that of 
the Bureau of the Controller of the Currency, to which report 
should be made by all corporations showing the amount of 
their capital stock, their bonds, their income, their transac¬ 
tions, the number of operatives employed, the wages paid, 
and all the other data which in time will present a mass of 
statistical information that will aid and guide legislation. 
Publicity itself will do much in the way of correcting evils, 
for definite statistics will suggest definite remedies.” 

These words were prophetic. Four years later the Bureau 
of Corporations, in the Department of Commerce was orga¬ 
nized for the purpose suggested, and its work did lead to 
definite remedies in the trust legislation of the past session, 
having as its most important feature a Federal Trade Com¬ 
mission organized on lines suggested by Mr. Newlands. 

On June 1, 1900, in his remarks in the House of Repre¬ 
sentatives on* a proposed constitutional amendment giving 
Congress the power to “define, regulate, control, prohibit, or 
dissolve trusts, monopolies, or combinations,” he repeated the 
above suggestions, end added: 

“So far as I am concerned, I intend to vote for this con¬ 
stitutional amendment, because I believe that the Federal Gov¬ 
ernment should have enlarged powers for the dissolution and 
control of trusts, monopolies, and combinations, and I shall 
vote for the measure that gives those powers, even though 
it is not framed according to my individual views and those 
of my political associates, rather than obstruct and defeat 
the initial action necessary to its subsequent consideration 
by the people of the various States.” ***** 

“A much more effective way of reaching combinations en¬ 
gaged in interstate commerce would be to carry out the sug¬ 
gestion of Mr. Bryan by Congressional legislation requiring 
every corporation engaged in interstate commerce to be 
licensed by the Federal Government to do business in other 
States than that in which such corporation is organized, and 
requiring a sworn statement showing the nature of its busi¬ 
ness, the value of its plants, its issues of stocks and bonds, 
the taxes pUd—in fact, all the statistical information essen¬ 
tial to enable the Government to determine whether it is 
engaging in an attempt to monopolize the production or sale 
of any article. Under such an act corporations organized 
for monopoly could be prevented from engaging in inter¬ 
state trade, and -11 the transactions of corporations engaged 
in interstate trade would be nut in the light of public investi- 



26 


TRUST LEGISLATION 


gation and criticism, and publicity itself would necessarily 
tend to the limitation of the extraordinary powers now exer¬ 
cised by trusts. Under the interstate commerce clause of 
the Constitution all discriminations and rebates and other 
unfair advantages in transportation could be prevented. 
* * * * * 

“The aim of Federal legislation should be to enable Con¬ 
gress, in the interest of the general welfare, to attack and 
destroy the trusts which are created by States that are 
selfishly harboring trusts for the purpose of local advantage in 
the way of taxes, employment of labor, and other considera¬ 
tions. As no State can reach such an evil in an adjoining 
State, the Federal Government must be appealed to, and its 
powers should be ample, not simply to harass, but to destroy.” 

MR. NEWLANDS A PIONEER. 

The first specific suggestion of a commission for the regu¬ 
lation of interstate trade was in an article by Mr. Newlands, 
published in The Commoner of February 3, 1911. The sug¬ 
gestions there made forecast closely the lines of the bill 
which has recently become a law: 

“Organize a commission of interstate trade, with powers 
similar to those given to the interstate commerce commis¬ 
sion for the regulation of interstate transportation, including 
the powers of examination, investigation, recommendation, 
and condemnation. Turn over to such commission the admin¬ 
istration of the anti-trust act, and provide that where com¬ 
petition ends regulation shall begin, as to all matters of in¬ 
terstate trade. Establish the principle that all monopolies 
shall be compelled in interstate trade to sell to all at the 
same price, and to all at a reasonable price, and give such 
commission the power to prevent discriminations, to condemn 
unreasonable prices and unfair practices, and to enforce its 
decisions as to interstate trade.” 

From this time on, Mr. Newlands hammered at his defi¬ 
nitely formed plan without ceasing. He introduced bills, 
resolutions and amendments, made addresses both in and 
out of Congress, gave out interviews, and in every possible 
way endeavored to promote the sentiment in favor of his 
idea. The idea was taken up by others, and before i the Re¬ 
publican administration ended the Interstate Commerce Com¬ 
mittee of the Senate, of which he was a member, held pro¬ 
longed hearings and gave careful consideration to his bill, but 
without definite result. The early part of the new admin¬ 
istration was fully occupied with tariff and banking reform; 
but as soon as the way was clear, the President, alive to the 
need of such legislation, after giving the matter careful con¬ 
sideration, delivered his remarkable message urging the 
amendment of the laws against trusts, including in his rec¬ 
ommendations the organization of a trade commission. Sen¬ 
ator Newlands was by that time chairman of the Com¬ 
mittee on Interstate Commerce of the Senate and, realiz¬ 
ing that the time for action had come, he immediately 
consulted with the President and with leading members of 
the House, with the result that identical bills were intro¬ 
duced, in the House by Judge Adamson and in the Senate 


TRUST LEGISLATION 


27 


by Mr. Newlands, to carry out the President’s views. Mr. 
Newlands immediately began bolding public hearings, and 
with his committee labored ceaselessly for weeks upon the 
legislation. Forty-seven witnesses gave oral testimony, and 
hundreds contributed briefs and letters which were printed 
and digested. The printed hearings comprise more than 1,500 
pages. The proceedings attracted the interested attention of 
the entire country. The committee worked harmoniously 
and on June 13th unanimously reported a bill which in every 
essential feature carried out the President’s suggestions. 
After nearly two months of debate, it passed the Senate 
without material change, and on September 26th was 'signed 
by the President. 

Thus the Democratic administration kept faith with the 
country and continued its record of achievement. In this 
work it was the privilege and pleasure of Senator Newlands 
to take a leading and responsible part. That his work was 
performed to the entire satisfaction of the President and 
the party is a matter of common knowledge. A comparison 
of the first bill which he introduced for a trade commission 
with the law as finally passed will show their remarkable 
resemblance. 

MR. NEWLANDS' WORK PRAISED. 

Space forbids the quotation of the many favorable com¬ 
ments upon Mr. Newlands’ work, but two of especial signifi¬ 
cance will be quoted. Senator Clapp, of Minnesota, who was 
Mr. Newlands’ predecessor as chairman of the Senate Com¬ 
mittee on Interstate Commerce, volunteered the following, 
in the course of his remarks, on the floor of the Senate, on 
the day that the bill passed: 

“I cannot forbear saying a word of congratulation and 
commendation of the chairman of the committee, the senator 
from Nevada, Mr. Newlands. It has been suggested that 
this subject is new and novel. The thought of a trade com¬ 
mission is neither new nor novel although the power which 
this bill seeks to vest in the commission is, I think to most 
people, a somewhat new, unstudied and unthought of propo¬ 
sition. 

“The senator from Nevada for years, however, has been 
an ardent champion of this measure and of the scope and 
purpose of the pending bill including section 5. During the 
time that it was my privilege to preside over that committee 
as chairman, the senator from Nevada was constantly advo¬ 
cating and putting forward this thought of this kind of a 
commission. The senator from Nevada, during the years of 
his service in both houses, has been in the very vanguard 
of the thought of developing, the functions of government: 
developing a union and unity of purpose between state and 
federal government; developing not only the scope and au¬ 
thority, but developing the method, the plan, the thought of 
co-operation along governmental lines. He has projected 
plans embracing broad fundamental policies, in the advocacy 
of which he has recognized no petty party lines; and while 
he has ever regarded the constitutional guaranties, he has 
taken the broad ground that the function of free government 


28 


TRUST LEGISLATION 


is to advance the common welfare and that the constitution 
should be viewed from the standpoint of a guide, rather than 
a mere limitation upon that function. 

“It is seldom that one who has in the main been so far 
in advance of the great mass of thought of his own day, has 
lived to see so many of his advanced thoughts, purposes and 
policies, either actually crystallized into legislation, or being 
rapidly accepted by congress in relation to legislation more 
or less correlated to the distinct purposes and aims of the 
senator’s advocacy. It is important and interesting, not so 
much as a tribute to the senator from Nevada as to the 
growth and development of the spirit of the American people 
in using government as one of the adjuncts, one of the in¬ 
strumentalities in the development of the prosperity and wel¬ 
fare of the people. I certainly feel that the senator from 
Nevada is to be congratulated upon the near approach of 
the consummation of his thought and purpose in the adoption 
of the federal trade commission bill.” 

The Federal Trade Commission is the result of many 
years of constructive, non-partisan statesmanship; and upon 
the final passage of the bill creating: it few voices were raised 
in opposition. The commission will have so great an influ¬ 
ence upon “big business” in this country that our readers 
will be interested in the article describing its mission and its 
powers which has been prepared for this issue of the Review 
by Senator Newlands, who, more than any one else, is respon¬ 
sible for the legislation now placed upon the statute books. 
Mr. Newlands is one of the thirty-two senators whose terms 
of office are about to expire, and who, for the first time, are 
to make their appeal for re-election direct to the voters.* 

The people of Nevada should not fail to recognize the 
value of the services that Senator Newlands is rendering to 
the country at large, as well as his own constituency. The 
case of Senator Newlands ought not to be regarded as involv¬ 
ing partisanship in any vital measure. The country needs 
men of his breadth and experience in the Senate, and he is 
needed in particular because he is a specialist in a number 
of great subjects which relate to the agricultural, mineral, 
and commercial conditions of the West and of the country 
as a whole. 

—Review of Reviews. 

*This is, of course an error, as Mr. Newlands voluntarily 
submitted his candidacy to the voters in 1908. 


CALENDAR OF MR. NEWLANDS’ WORK ON THE SUB¬ 
JECT OF TRUSTS. 

1899. 

Sept. 20. Letter to Mr. Ralph M. Easley, Secretary of the 
Conference on Trusts, held at Chicago. 

1900. 

June 1 Remarks in the House of Representatives on H. J. 

Res. 138, proposing an amendment to the Consti¬ 
tution of the United States with reference to the 
control of trusts. 

Cong. Rec., vol. 33, pt. 8, p. 674. 



1911. 
Feb. 3. 

Mar. 15. 

Mar. 26. 

May 11. 

May 11. 

May 11. 

May 15. 

May 16. 

May 24.‘ 

June 22. 

July 5. 

July 20. 

July 22. 
July 22. 

July 24. 
Aug. 4. 
Aug. 5. 
Aug. 21. 

Dec. 5. 
Dec. 7. 
Dec. 11. 


TRUST LEGISLATION 29 


Article in The Commoner on the subject of a legis¬ 
lative program. 

Letter to Hon. Champ Clark, outlining a legisla¬ 
tive program. 

Interview in Washington Star regarding proposed 
legislative program and trust legislation. 

Introduced Senate Resolution No. 41, providing for 
a legislative program. 

Remarks in Senate on his legislative program. 

47—2—1182. 

Editorial in Washington Times on the legislative 
program. 

Remarks in Senate on legislative program. 

47-2—1205-1213. 

Remarks in Senate on legislative program. 

47—2—1225-1229. 

Remarks in Senate on legislative program. 

47-2—1546-7. 

Same. 

47-3—2443-8. 

Introduced S. 2941, to create an interstate trade 
commission, to define its powers and duties, etc. 

47—3—2619. 

The Senate adopted Sen. Res. No. 98, authorizing 
the Senate Committee on Interstate Commerce 
to inquire into and report to the Senate what 
changes are necessary or desirable in the laws 
relating to trusts. 

Introduced S. Res. No. 109, providing for a legis¬ 
lative program. 

Remarks in Senate on interstate trade commis¬ 
sion. 

47—4—3176. 

Same. 

47—4—3181. 

Same. 

47—4—3601. 

Same. 

47—4—3632. 

Withdrew S. 2941, to create an interstate trade 
commission, etc., and substituted another with 
the same number. 

47— 5—4259. 

Interview in The Washington Post on interstate 
trade commission; also an editorial thereon. 

Introduced S. Res. No. 159, for a legislative pro¬ 
gram. 

Spoke in support of the above resolution. 

48- 1—186-8. 


30 


TRUST LEGISLATION 


1912. 
Jan. 1. 

Article by Mr. Newlands on Trust Regulation in 
the New York Journal of Commerce and Com¬ 
mercial Bulletin. 

Jan. 23. 

Spoke in support of Sen. Res. No. 189. 
48-9—648-657. 

Feb. 26. 

Introduced S. 5485, providing for an interstate 
trade commission, and spoke in support of it. 
48-3—2435-6. 

Mar. 30. 

“A Review and Criticism of Anti-Trust Legisla¬ 
tion” was the subject of Mr. Newlands’ remarks 
before the American Academy of Political and 
Social Science, Philadelphia, Pa. 

Dec. 19. 

Senate ordered printed the article contributed by 
Mr. Newlands to The Independent entitled “Pos¬ 
sibilities of a Democratic Administration.” This 
appears as Senate Document No. 988. 

1913. 
Mar. 13. 

Introduced S. Res. No. 4, covering subject of trust 
legislation, and spoke briefly in support of it. 
50—1—16. 

March 17. 

Spoke in Senate on trust legislation, legislative 
program, etc. 

50—1—33. 

Apr. 12. 

Introduced S. 829, providing for an interstate trade 
commission and spoke briefly in relation thereto. 
50—1—163. 

Apr. 17. 

Spoke in Senate on trust legislation, legislative 
program, etc. 

50—1—205 and 211. 

April 21. 

Same. 

50—1—265. 

May 5. 

Same. 

50—2—1092. 

1914. 
Jan. 21. 

Introduced S. 4160, providing for a Federal Trade 
Commission, and made a few remarks on the 
bill. 

51—2341. 

June 6. 

Trade commission bill unanimously reported by 
the Senate Committee on Interstate Commerce. 

June 6. 

H. R. 16586, relating to railway securities, referred 
to Senate Committee on Interstate Commerce. 

July 23. 

Senate Committee on Interstate Commerce re¬ 
ported back favorably to the Senate H. R. 16586. 

Aug. 5. 
Aug. 5. 

Trade commission bill passed the Senate. 

Tribute paid by Senator Clapp to Mr. Newlands 
on the floor of the Senate. 

Sept. 26. 
Oct. 1. 

Trade commission bill signed by President. 

Article by Mr. Newlands on the Federal Trade 
Commission, in the Review of Reviews. 


WATERWAYS 


31 


WATERWAYS 


Perhaps the first thought of a citizen of Nevada, when 
his attention is drawn to the subject of waterways, would 
naturally be: Of what interest is it to us? And he may 
recall with a smile Mr. Roosevelt’s humorous allusion to 
“the great maritime State of Nevada.” It is the task of 
the compiler to endeavor to answer this question. 



The “Newlands-Broussard” bill (S. 2739 and H. R. 

12754) now before both Houses of Congress, provides for 
an appropriation of $60,000,000 annually for ten years, for 
promoting river regulation, flood prevention, etc. It also pro¬ 
vides for the apportionment of this fund among the various 
watersheds of the country. The map shown below gives this 
apportionment roughly: 

The figures named on the map are annual appropria¬ 
tions for each of the next 10 years by the federal gov¬ 
ernment. 

A—Sacramento and San Joaquin basins, $5,000,000. 

B—Columbia, Snake and other Washington and Oregon 
rivers, $5,000,000. 

C—Colorado river basin to western crest of Pacific water¬ 
sheds and north to Columbia, $5,000,000. 

D—Missouri river basin and all rivers draining into 
Mississippi from the west below St. Louis, $10,000,000. 

E—Mississippi basin above St. Louis and rivers draining 
into Canada and great lakes and those into Mississippi be¬ 
tween St. Louis and Cairo, Ill., $5,000,000. 





32 


WATERWAYS 


F—Ohio river drainage basin, including Columbus and 
the Scioto river, $10,000,000. 

G—Appalachian and Atlantic region, including rivers 
flowing into Mississippi or gulf below the Ohio, $10,000,000. 

For the channel of the Mississippi below St. Louis and 
the Atchafalaya as flood-water outlet, $10,000,000. 

It will be seen that the sum proposed to be expended in 
the Intermountain Region, of which Nevada is a part, is five 
million dollars per annum, which in ten years would amount 
to fifty millions. Section 15 of the bill provides that the Di¬ 
rector of the Reclamation Service “shall extend the surveys 
and investigation and construction of irrigation works such 
as are authorized in the Act of June seventeenth, 1902, known 
as the Reclamation Act, throughout the United States and 
including reclamation of land by drainage as well as by irri¬ 
gation.” Does any one suppose that the Humboldt, the 
Walker, and the Upper Carson Rivers would long remain un¬ 
developed, if the Reclamation Service had such a fund as 
this at its disposal? It is instructive, in this connection, to 
read the letter from Mr. Newell, head of the service, which 
is printed under the heading, “Matters of Interest to Nevada.” 

The Democratic state platform correctly says that the 
principles of this bill have been adopted as an administration 
measure. This was the result of the deliberations of an inter¬ 
departmental committee, consisting of the Secretaries of War, 
Interior, Agriculture, and Commerce, appointed by the Presi¬ 
dent to advise him upon the subject. The whole subject was 
exhaustively considered, and an amendment, embodying all 
the essential features of Mr. Newlands’ plan, and having the 
approval of the committee referred to, was offered by him to 
the rivers and harbors bill. 

The belief is rapidly gaining ground that this bill offers 
the only scientific method of conserving our water resources. 
It covers the whole field and provides •for the co-ordination 
of all the scientific services of the government having any¬ 
thing to do with water, and for co-operation of the nation 
wfith the States, etc., in'plans and works. It provides for 
placing the work in the hands of a board of experts, thus 
doing away with the growing dissatisfaction with the method 
in which it has been done heretofore. What more natural 
than that a President like Mr. Wilson, intent upon reforming 
abuses and promoting good administration, and knowing how 
to get results, should adopt such a program as this? It may 
be confidently predicted that the days of the “pork-barrel” 
rivers and harbors bill are ended and that, when once the 
Administration puts its hand to the plow, the principles of 
Mr. Newlands’ river regulation bill will soon stand upon the 
statute book, a monument to his constructive statesmanship. 

A FEW FAVORABLE COMMENTS. 

Again the limits of space preclude the reproduction of 
hundreds of the most eulogistic newspaper clippings. A very 
few only will be given, cut to the shortest possible limits. 

Senator Newlands certainly deserves well of his country 
for pushing his waterway proposition as he has done.—Salt 
Lake Tribune. 


WATERWAYS 


33 


Senator Francis G. Newlands, of Nevada, has been talk¬ 
ing sound sense about the futility of the present method of 
making appropriations for rivers and harbors.—New York 
Tribune. 

The Mississppi valley’s prosperity is essential to the 
prosperity of the whole country; the only way to secure its 
prosperity is by flood prevention; the only effective flood 
prevention is by the passage of the Newlands bill or similar 
legislation.—Houston (Tex.) Chronicle. 

In the face of the awful lessons of 1911, 1912'and 1913, 
those Congressmen who opposed the Newlands bill in the last 
session assumed a grave responsibility.—Los Angeles Tribune. 

The appalling flood catastrophe which has just befallen 
the people of the Ohio River Valley emphasizes with strik¬ 
ing and irresistible force the urgent and imperative necessity 
of the national legislation embodied in the Newlands river 
regulation bill.—Cincinnati (Ohio) Commercial Tribune. 

Probably no man in public life is better fitted to discuss 
questions relating to conservation, particularly as regards 
dealing with water, than United States Senator Francis G. 
Newlands, of Nevada.—Troy (N. Y.) Times. 

Senator Newlands’ bill seems to be broadly national, 
rather than selfishly sectional, and in that is to be found 
no small part of its wisdom and the promise of its deserved 
success before Congress.-^Los Angeles Examiner. 

We join heartily with Senator Newlands in his idea that 
the time has come when the issue should be made between 
annual expenditure of millions on fighting the Mississippi 
River and a sensible attem.pt to control it to the advantage 
of unirrigated territory. The issue is simply one between 
loss and gain.—Minneapolis News. 

Senator Newlands is not only a broad-minded statesman 
and an able speaker; he is an adroit manager and he com¬ 
bines the suaznter in niodo with the fortiter in re. When 
Congress emerges from the tariff-currency-Mexican web' in 
which all other legislation is now enmeshed it may, and prob¬ 
ably will, take up the Newlands reclamation bill. Once it 
shall be seriously considered its passage will be a foregone 
conclusion.—Los Angeles Times. 

The Newlands bill for the regulation of water flow in the 
Mississippi Valley and for the reclamation of waste lands is 
in every feature thoroughly practicable.—F. H. Newell, Di¬ 
rector of the Reclamation Service, quoted in the New Orleans 
Item. 

The remedy for a pork-barrel system lies in a compre¬ 
hensive, national plan for river improvement and flood pre¬ 
vention, which shall treat each stream in the country as a 
unit; which shall utilize all the departments of the federal 
government in cooperation; and which shall have regard for 
all the uses of water, instead of regarding only the local inter¬ 
est. Such a plan is before Congress now in the form of the 
Newlands River Regulation Bill. * * * * * The adoption 

of this plan for river control and use would result in the 
absorption and retention of the water on the upper source 
streams and tributaries, and this would so standardize the 
flow and lower the ordinary flood levels, and raise the low- 
water levels, that navigation would be enormously improved. 


34 


WATERWAYS 


But the occupation of levee boards, contractors, army 
engineers, local politicians and others who profit from the 
piecemeal, mud-pie system of sinking money in useless river 
projects would be gone. Therefore the Newlands bill sleeps 
in committee, while the pork barrel rolls merrily forward. 

—Gilson Gardner in Harper’s Weekly. 

The measure proposed is not the result of any slight con¬ 
sideration of the big work in hand, but its terms embody 
the best thought in the nation on the subject of river regu¬ 
lation and control and it behooves everybody in the two great 
valleys of the State to get behind the bill and leave nothing 
undone to impress Congress with the crying necessity for 
such a measure.—Stockton (Cal.) Independent. 

The Newlands bill, now before Congress, proposes a new 
policy of flood prevention and river regulation, a policy that 
clearly recognizes the vital necessity of conserving the food 
supply of the nation, which supply is absolutely dependent 
upon water.—St. Paul Pioneer-Press. 

It is with extreme satisfaction that we note the fast 
growing popularity and progress of the Newlands river regu¬ 
lation bill.—Stockton (Cal.) Mail. 

This is the greatest constructive measure ever inaugu¬ 
rated by the United States Government for the protection of 
those affected by the wet and dry seasons of our rivers.— 
Escalon (Cal.) Tribune. 

According to Judson C. Wall, of New York, a conserva¬ 
tion specialist who advocates the Newlands bill, a compre¬ 
hensive measure for conserving soil fertility, this country is 
losing under the present river regulating policy an average 
of over $100,000,000 a year.—Wall Street (N. Y.) Journal. 

A comprehensive, practical, and efficient measure is the 
Newlands bill for the control of the floods of this great valley, 
and it is growing more and more in public favor as it is better 
understood.—Memphis News-Scimitar. 

It is interesting to note that the Newlands bill is gain¬ 
ing friends and that there seem:* to be good grounds for 
expecting its passage.—Dayton (Ohio) News. 

All California, without regard for political considerations 
or affiliations, will get behind Senator Newlands’ compre¬ 
hensive plan for the development of the inland waterways of 
the State. Senator Newlands proposes to meet in a states¬ 
manlike way, by a single operation, three of the most pressing 
problems that confront the people of California.—San Fran¬ 
cisco News Letter. 

The Newlands plan offers opportunities for realization of 
the ambitions which the people of this region have long cher¬ 
ished and deserves the support of all progressive citizens.— 
Portland (Ore.) Oregonian. 

There can be little doubt that one of the greatest physical 
tasks awaiting the people of the United States is the proper 
development of the national water supply. Nor can there be 
any doubt that this development will best be achieved by a 
nationally directed policy rather than by the haphazard 
methods of the different States and of irresponsible private 
enterprise.—San Francisco Bulletin. 

Senator Newlands will deserve the thanks of the nation 


WATERWAYS 


35 


if he can devise a method of removing the taint of “pork- 
barrel” from the rivers and harbors bills.—Philadelphia Public 
Ledger. 

We hope the amendment will pass.—New Orleans States. 
Senator Newlands’ plan for a Federal Commission to con¬ 
trol waterways improvement is an attempt to check the 
vicious practices long connected with rivers and harbors 
legislation.—The Nation. 

CALENDAR OF SOME OF MR. NEWLANDS’ ACTIVITIES 
ON THE SUBJECT OF WATERWAYS. 


1907. 

March 14. 

Mr. Newlands was appointed, by President Roose¬ 
velt, a member of the Inland Waterways Com¬ 
mission. 

April 29. 

The Commission organized at Washington, D. C. r 
and selected Mr. Newlands as vice chairman. 

May 13-23. 

The Commission made a trip on the Mississippi 
River, from St. Louis to The Passes. Mr. New¬ 
lands spoke at St. Louis. 

Sept. 3. 

Addressed the National Irrigation Congress, at 
Sacramento, on waterways. 

Sept. 21. 

Commission made a trip on the Great Lakes, from 


to Oct. 13. Cleveland to Duluth; on the Mississippi from 


Oct. 26. 

St. Paul to Memphis; and on the Missouri from 
Kansas City to St. Louis. Senator Newlands 
accompanied it. He spoke at several places on 
the route, including St. Paul (Sept. 27), Mem¬ 
phis (Oct. 5), Kansas City (Oct. 7), and Jeffer¬ 
son City (Oct. 10). 

Spoke on Waterways before the University Club, 
at Washington, D. C. 

Nov. 19. 

Made the opening address at the Atlantic Deeper 
Waterways Conference, Philadelphia. 

Nov. 26. 

Spoke at the National Drainage Congress, Balti¬ 
more, Md. 

Dec. 4. 

Introduced S. 500, for the appointment of an in¬ 
land waterways commission, etc., and spoke 
briefly in its support; Congressional Record, 
Volume 42, part 1, page 143. 

Dec. 5. 

Address before National Rivers and Harbors Con¬ 
gress, Washington, D. C. 

Dec. 17. 

Remarks in Senate on waterways; Cong. Rec., 
vol. 42, pt. 1, pp. 389, 400. 

1908. . 
Jan. 1. 

Article in the Annals of the American Academy 
of Social and Political Science, on the Use and 
Development of American Waterways. 

Jan. 3. 

Jan. 22. 

Addressed the Springfield, Mass., Board of Trade. 
Spoke at the banquet of the National Board of 
Trade, Washington, D. C. 

Jan. 30. 

Mr. Newlands spoke before the Traffic Club, at 
their annual banquet, Chicago. 


36 


WATERWAYS 


Feb. 7. 
Feb. 7. 
Feb. 26. 

March 5 
April 8. 


April 11. 
April 16. 


May 

13. 

May 

14. 

May 

15. 

May 

16. 

May 

19. 

May 

20. 

May 

23. 

May 

26. 

May 

28. 

Nov. 

25. 

1909. 

Dec. 

10. 

1910. 

Feb. 

16. 

Feb. 

17. 

Feb. 

18. 

Feb. 

22. 


March 8. 
April 11. 
April 15. 
April 18. 
April 19. 
June 8. 
June 23. 

1911. 
Jan. 17. 
Feb. 3. 


Article on Waterways in the Christian Endeavor 
World, Boston, Mass. 

Address before Chamber of Commerce, Atlanta, 
Ga. 

Joined with the Inland Waterways Commission in 
their preliminary report. 

Article on waterways, in Leslie’s Weekly. 

Mr. Newlands spoke before the waterways section 
of the Southern Commercial Congress, at Nash¬ 
ville. 

Mr. Newlands addressed the National Drainage 
Congress, at New Orleans. 

Mr. Newlands spoke on waterways at a banquet 
given by the Pittsburgh Chamber of Commerce 
in honor of the Flood Commission. 

Mr. Newlands introduced S. 7112. 

Cong. Rec., 42—7—6175 


Debate. 6226 

Debate. 6333 

Debate 6403-5 

Reported S. 7112. 6525 

Debate. 6577 

Debate. 6808-11 

Debate. 6950-65-72 

Debate. . 42-8-7124 


Addressed the River Regulation Commission of 
Stockton, California, on waterways. 

Introduced S. 3717, for the formation of an inland 
waterways commission, etc. 45—1—76 


Amendment to rivers and harbors bill. 

45—2—1963 

Debate. 1998 

Debate. 2067 to 2072 


Amendment to S. 6168 for Government Business 
Methods Commission. 2204 

Debate on S. Res. 195. 2893-4 

Rivers and harbors bill debate. 4496 

Debate. 4805 to 4809 

Debate on Rivers and harbors bill. 4877-85-93-4-5-6 
Amendment to R. & H. bill. ’ 4972-4984 

Debate, R. & H. bill 7601-2 

Amendment to S. 4501, Appalachian and White 
Mountain Forest Reserve bill. 8813 


Amendment to R. & H. bill. 46—1—983 

Article in The Commoner on Suggested Legisla¬ 
tion, containing river regulation program. 


WATERWAYS 


37 


Feb. 15. 

March 1. 
March 15. 

April 6. 
May 11. 
May 15. 
May 16. 
May 24. 
June 24. 
July 22. 
July 24. 
Aug. 4. 
Aug. 5. 
Dec. 7. 
Dec. 11. 

1912. 
Jan. 23. 
April 30. 

April 13. 
May 9. 

April 30. 
July 18. 
July 27. 
July 26. 
Aug. 9. 
Oct. 3. 

1913. 
Feb. 19. 
Feb. 20. 
Feb. 22. 
Feb. 24. 
March 1. 
April 10. 

March 13. 
March 17. 
April 21. 
May 5. 
May 19. 
May 20. 
July 14. 


Debate on Appalachian bill. 

46-3—2577-80-7-8-9; 2590 to 2595 
Introduced S. 10900. 46—4—3752 

Letter to Hon. Champ Clark; waterways as a part 
of the legislative program. 


Introduced S. 122. 
Introduced S. Res. 
Debate. 

Debate. 

Debate. 

Debate. 

Introduced S. Res. 
Debate. 

Debate. 

Debate. 

Introduced S. Res. 
Debate. 


47—1—103 

No. 41, legislative program. 

1205-13 

1225-9 

1545-7 

2443-8 

109, legislative program. 3176 

3181-8 9 
3601 
3642-3 

No. 159. 

48-1—136-7-8 


Debate. 


643-57 


Amendment to H. R. 21447, R. & H. bill. 

48—6—5576 

Debate. 48—5—4705-6 

Debate. 48-6—6110-14-19 

Appendix 216 to 228 


Waterways. 

Debate. 

H. R. 21213. 
H. R. 21214. 
Debate. 


5576-7 

48—9—9220 

48-10—9755-6 

48—10—9707-8 

48-11—10572-4 


Article in The Independent, on “Possibilities of 
a Democratic Administration,” including the 
subject of waterways. 


Amendment to River & Harbor bill. 49—4—3400 

Debate. 49-4—3478-9-90-98 

Debate. 3636 

Debate. 3786-91 

Debate. 49-5—4365-76 


Article in The Independent; Control of our Water¬ 


ways. 

Introduced S. Res. No. 4; debate. 50—1—16-7 

Debate. 33-4 

Debate. 205 

Debate. 210-1 

Debate. 265-6-7 

Debate. 1092 

Introduced S. 2739. 2392 


38 


WATERWAYS 


1914. 
Jan. 31. 

June 22. 


Introduced substitute for S. 2739 (i. e., the “New- 
lands-Broussard” bill). 51—3—2767-8 

Amendment to Rivers and Harbors Bill—H. R. 
13811. 11816 


July 9. 


Debate. 


12923-4 


AUXILIARY NAVY AND NAVAL RESERVE 


39 


AUXILIARY NAVY AND NAVAL RESERVE 


Senator Newlands has long contended that it was a mis¬ 
take to build so many battleships without providing the auxil¬ 
iary ships needed to supplement them. So long as the Re¬ 
publican party remained in power, he was unable to secure 
the adoption of his views; but with the change of adminis¬ 
tration came a new attitude toward questions of this kind, 
and at this time the Administration is in favor of Mr. New¬ 
lands’ proposals. Since one of the greatest of the nation’s 
battleships has been named for the State of Nevada, it is 
fair to assume that questions relating to our naval policy 
have more than usual interest for Nevadans at this time, 
and that it will be profitable to set out at some length 
Mr. Newlands’ long struggle, now nearing a successful con¬ 
clusion, for the adoption of his ideas upon the subject. 

Motion made by Mr. Newlands, Fifty-ninth Congress, 
first session, February 14, 1906: 

That S. 529 be recommitted to the Committee on Com¬ 
merce, with instructions to report in connection therewith 
an estimate of the cost of the vessels! required for service 
in the ocean mail lines provided for in section 6, and as to 
whether it is practicable for! the United States Government 
to construct such ships as a part of the Navy, supplementary 
to the war ships, to be used as colliers, transports, scouts, 
etc., in the emergency of war, and as to whether it is prac¬ 
ticable to lease such ships to private corporations in times 
of peace for the service of the mail lines contemplated in 
section 6, and as to whether it is practicable to organize a 
naval reserve to be enlisted in the United States in the 
service of such ships whose wages shall be paid three-fourths 
by the private corporations leasing such ships, and one- 
fourth by the United States Government; such naval reserves 
to be composed of citizens of the United States, or those 
who have declared their intention to become such—and to be 
subject to the training of naval officers in order to fit them 
to respond to the call of the Government in case of war, 
and the rentals received from such ships to form a fund 
for the gradual enlargement of the number of supplementary 
ships required by the Navy in case of war, as colliers, trans¬ 
ports, scouts, etc., and generally to report the comparative 
cost of such method of enlarging our merchant marine as 
compared with the method of subvention provided by sec¬ 
tion 6. 

Mr. Newlands spoke five times, during that session, on 
the subject of ship subsidy, and urged his views: 

Jan. 18 (vol. 40, part 2, p. 1223); 

Jan. 31 (vol. 40, part 2, p. 1814); 

Feb. 2 (vol. 40, part 2, p. 1946) ; 

Feb. 13 (vol. 40, part 3, p. 2482) ; and 

Feb. 14 (vol. 40, part 3, p. 2543). 




40 


AUXILIARY NAVY AND NAVAL RESERVE 


On the 3rd of March, 1907, he spoke upon the ship subsidy 
(Cong. Rec., Vol. 41, Pt. 4, pp. 4567-4573) under the heads of: 

Use of Ships in Time of War; 

Leasing of Ships Belonging to Auxiliary Navy in Time of 
Peace; 

The Naval Reserve; 

In Case Subsidy should be Granted, of the Necessity of 
National Incorporation of the Subsidized Lines in Order to 
Maintain the Merchant Marine. 

SENATOR HALE’S ADMISSIONS. 

On the 14th of February, 1908, Mr. Newlands spoke upon 
his amendment to recommit the subsidy bill. 

The debate was very instructive, particularly the ad¬ 
missions made by Senator Hale, then Chairman of the Com¬ 
mittee on Naval Affairs. He said, in part, as follows (Cong. 
Rec., vol. 42, part 4, page 3636): 

Mr. Hale: Mr. President, if when that fleet was ordered 
on this tour about the globe there had been the least menace 
of war from any power, no government owning one of these 
foreign colliers would have allowed a single ship to be em¬ 
ployed by us, and our fleet, magnificent as it is, with any 
menace of war upon the sky, without these foreign colliers 
would be as useless and— 

As idle as a painted ship 
Upon a painted ocean. 

We do not realize this, Mr. President. I go further. If 
any complication should arise in the voyage of the ships, any 
danger, any menace of war in a foreign power, I do not know 
but that every foreign power represented in the ships which 
we have hired would feel compelled to withdraw them from 
the association of the fleet, and we would be hung up. It is 
not, Mr. President, an agreeable thing to contemplate. We 
go on year after year building up and accumulating these 
immense ships at an enormous expenditure, and find our¬ 
selves, as we would in any emergency for which the ships 
are built, without a thing being done that makes the ships 
formidable as a fleet at sea. The Senator is right in his 
theories. There ought not to be another ship added to the 
American Navy until we add something that every other 
power has done to make the ships formidable in case of 
an emergency. 

Other remarks by Mr. Newlands of a similar nature were 
made on April 27 (vol. 42, part 6, p. 5278) and April 27, 1908 
(vol 43, pt. 3, p. 2368). 

He spoke twice more, in the 2nd session of the Sixtieth 
Congress, in support of his resolution, that is to say: 

On Feb. 16, 1909 (vol. 43, part 3, p. 2464); and 

On Feb. 17, 1909 (vol. 43, part. 3, p. 2558 et seq., and 
2615). 

In the Sixty-first Congress, second session, on June 10, 
1910, he introduced S. 3721, to authorize the construction of 
auxiliary ships for the Navy. 

On Jan. 11, 1911, he spoke on the ocean mail subsidy bill 


AUXILIARY NAVY AND NAVAL RESERVE 


41 


and in support of his plan for an auxiliary navy (Cong. Rec., 
vol. 46, part 1, page 781). 

On Jan. 20, 1911, he offered an amendment as a substi¬ 
tute for the pending ocean mail subsidy bill (Cong. Rec., vol. 
46, part 2, p. 1183). 

In the Sixty-first Congress, third session, on February 2, 
1911, Mr. Newlands offered an amendment to the ship- 
subsidy bill and spoke in its support (Cong. Rec., vol. 46, 
part 2, p. 1819). 

In an article in The Commoner for February 3, 1911, 
entitled “Suggested Legislation; A Modus Vivendi,” Senator 
Newlands wrote, in part: 


VI. 

Economical and Efficient Administration of the Army 
and Navy. 

******* 

Similarly increase the appointments to the Naval Acad¬ 
emy, and utilize the officers not needed on the fighting ships 
in the training of the naval reserves. 

Create a well proportioned navy by diminishing tem¬ 
porarily the construction of fighting ships, wholly inefficient 
in time of war without the auxiliary ships, such as transports, 
colliers, and scouts, and build as a part of the navy such 
auxiliary ships to be used in time of war to support the 
fighting ships, and to be used in time of peace as training 
schools for the naval reserves, leasing such ships, manned 
in part by the naval reserve, in time of peace, to commer¬ 
cial companies for the purpose of opening up new routes of 
commerce for American products. This is a substitute for 
proposed ship subsidies. 

Extract from Senate resolution No. 41, Sixty-second Con¬ 
gress, first session, introduced by Mr. Newlands, May 11, 
1911: 

Resolved, That it is the sense of the Senate that during 
the extra session legislation should be enacted upon the fol¬ 
lowing subjects: 

******* 

(7) Providing for the upbuilding of the American mer¬ 
chant marine by free entry to American registry of all ships, 
wherever constructed, and by the construction of auxiliary 
ships for our Navy, to be used in time of war in aid of the 
fighting ships and in time of peace in establishing new routes 
of commerce through lease to shipping companies; such legis¬ 
lation to involve the temporary diminution of the construc¬ 
tion of fighting ships and the substitution of auxiliary ships, 
with a view to the creation of a well-proportioned and self- 
sustaining Navy. 

This resolution was supported very actively by Mr. New¬ 
lands during the first session of the Sixty-second Congress. 
He spoke in support of it, at greater or less length, on 
May 11, 1911 (Cong. Rec., vol. 47, part 2, p. 1182), May 15 
(vol. 47, part 2, p. 1205), May 16 (part 2, p. 1225), May 24 
(part 2, p. 1546), June 22 (part 3, p. 2443). 


42 


AUXILIARY NAVY AND NAVAL RESERVE 


Extract from Senate resolution No. 159, offered by Mr. 
Newlands, Sixty-second Congress, second session, December 
7, 1911: 

Resolved, That it is the sense of the Senate that during 
the present session the appropriate committees shall consider 
and Congress enact legislation upon the following subjects: 
* * * * * * * 

Twelfth. Providing for the construction of auxiliary ships 
for our Navy, to be used in time of war in aid of the fighting 
ships and in times of peace in establishing necessary service 
through the Panama Canal and new routes of commerce to 
foreign countries through lease to shipping companies; such 
legislation to involve the temporary diminution of the con¬ 
struction of fighting ships and the substitution of auxiliary 
ships, with a view to the creation of a well-proportioned and 
efficient Navy. 

Mr. Newlands spoke, in the Senate, in support of this 
resolution, on Dec. 11, 1911 (Cong. Rec., vol. 48, part 1, page 
186); also on Jan. 4, 1911 (Cong. Rec., vol. 48, part 9, page 
648). 

Extract from Senate resolution No. 4, introduced Sixty- 
third Congress, special session of the Senate, by Mr. New¬ 
lands, on March 13, 1913: 

6. Resolved, That the Committees on Military and Naval 
Affairs report at as early a date as possible during the extra 
session upon the following questions: 

******* 

(b) A plan for the construction of auxiliary ships for 
the Navy, to be used in time of war in aid of the fighting 
ships and in time of peace in establishing necessary service 
through the Panama Canal and new routes of commerce to 
foreign countries through lease to shipping companies; such 
legislation involving the temporary diminution of the con¬ 
struction of fighting ships and the substitution of auxiliary 
ships with a view to the organization of a well-proportioned 
and efficient Navy. 

Mr. Newlands spoke briefly in support of this resolution, 
at the time of its introduction (Cong. Rec., vol. 50, part 1, 
page 16). 

On August 3, 1914, while the bill to establish U. S. mail 
lines to South America (H. R. 5259) was pending in the 
Senate, Mr. Newlands spoke in favor of it, and reviewed his 
activities in that direction (Cong. Rec., vol. 51, pp. 14312-3). 

On August 7, 1914, he introduced the following amend¬ 
ment which had the approval of the Secretary of the Navy: 

That the Secretary of the Navy is hereby authorized to 
purchase or to provide for the construction, either in the 
private shipyards of the United States or in the navy yards, 
or both, of thirty vessels suitable for use by the Navy 
•either as auxiliary vessels, such as transports, fuel ships, 
dispatch boats, ammunition vessels, hospital ships, submarine 
and destroyer tenders, supply ships, cruisers, and scouts, or 
for use on such commercial or Navy mail lines as the Secre- 


AUXILIARY NAVY AND NAVAL RESERVE 


43 


tary of the Navy may now or hereafter be authorized by law 
to establish: Provided, That the cost in the aggregate of the 
aforementioned vessels shall not exceed $30,000,000: Provided 
Further, That not more than six such vessels shall be pur¬ 
chased or contracted for in any one fiscal year: And Pro¬ 
vided Further, That the sum of $6,000,000 is hereby appro¬ 
priated, out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise obli¬ 
gated, to carry into effect the provisions of this Act for the 
current fiscal year. 

SENATOR STONE SUPPORTS PLAN. 

On Aug. 8th he spoke in support of this amendment 
(Cong. Rec., vol. 51, p. 14694 et seq.), and was supported by 
Senator Stone, who said, in part: 

I have felt, Mr. President, that there was at least a great 
deal of merit in the suggestion. 

* * * * 

There would be certainly less objection to the utilization 
of commercial ships owned by the Government as an auxiliary 
to the armored Navy of the Government than to employ war¬ 
ships themselves in commercial uses ; and afterwards, when 
the wars raging in Europe are at an end, the Government 
would still own these ships. Is it a bad thing for the Gov¬ 
ernment to be in the ownership and possession of an aux¬ 
iliary navy of that kind? It is always at our command to 
meet any kind of an emergency, not only such an emergency 
as confronts us now, but such as might confront us in the 
future, more directly and intimately concerning the welfare 
and the very life of the Republic itself. 

I am not opposed to an auxiliary navy of this kind at 
any time; and it seems to me that there was never a time in 
our history when we had greater need of it than now. I will 
not say “never a lime in our history,” for there have been 
other times. There was in the War with Spain a time when 
we needed vessels of this character so badly that a large 
appropriation was made to hire them for our use. Occa¬ 
sions of that kind may arise at any time, and the occasion 
may be far more pregnant of peril to us than the one which 
confronted us during the War with Spain. 

So far as I am concerned, Mr. President, I am disposed 
to support this amendment by my vote. 

The amendment was also supported by other Senators; 
but upon the question of its adoption it was defeated. 

When the bill was upon its passage, on August 11th, Mr. 
Newlands again offered his amendment, in a slightly differ¬ 
ent form, as follows: 

Sec. 6. The Secretary of the Navy is hereby authorized to 
purchase or to provide for the construction, either in the 
private shipyards of the United States or in the navy yards, 
or both, of 30 vessels suitable for use by the Navy either 
as auxiliary vessels, such as transports, fuel ships, dispatch 
boats, ammunition vessels, hospital ships, supply ships, and 
scouts, or for use on such commercial or mail lines as the 
Secretary of the Navy may now or hereafter be authorizes 


44 


AUXILIARY NAVY AND NAVAL RESERVE 


by law to establish, not to cost in the aggregate to exceed 
$30,000,000; and the sum of $30,000,000, or so much thereof 
as may be necessary is hereby appropriated out of any money 
in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated to carry into effect 
the provisions of this section. 

This again received the voice of Senator Stone; but upon 
the roll-call it was defeated, 20 to 30 (Cong. Rec., vol. 51, p. 
14798). 


LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM 


45 


LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM 


The prolonged sessions of Congress have been the sub¬ 
ject of much comment, of late years, and there has been con¬ 
siderable discussion of the cause and the remedy. On the 
one hand, the “continuous performance” of Congress has 
been severely criticised, especially by the opposition news¬ 
papers, and, on the other hand, the Members of Congress, 
though anxious to shorten the sessions, have found it im¬ 
possible to get through the necessary work and give proper 
consideration to the business before them, in less time. 

Senator Newlands, having long been aware of this ten¬ 
dency toward the prolongation of the sessions of Congress, 
has given much thought to the problem of expediting the 
public business. The plan which he evolved calls for the 
preparation, by the party in power, at the beginning of each 
session, of a legislative program, to be parceled out among 
the appropriate committees with instructions to report bills 
carrying out the legislation agreed upon. These bills, when 
reported, would become the party program and be pressed to 
a vote on the floors of the two Houses. His thought is that, 
in this way, Congress would do less politics and more busi¬ 
ness. The plan bears some resemblance to the methods in 
use in countries where there is a responsible ministry and 
is based upon the very sensible idea that the party in power 
ought to be willing to assume the responsibility for legisla¬ 
tion and to be held accountable for expediting it. 

During the latter days of Republican rule, Congress was 
“run” in a manner closely resembling this, with the very 
important exception that the legislation to be enacted was 
determined upon by a very small clique of self-constituted 
leaders, instead of by a full and free conference of all the 
members of the party in Congress. It was hardly to be ex¬ 
pected that the beneficiaries of this kind of rule would 
loosen their grip until forced to do so; but since the change 
of administration there are signs that Mr. Newlands' plan is 
rapidly growing in favor. A single example of his proposal, 
with his remarks upon it, followed by a calendar to show 
how, with his customary vigor and persistence, he has fol¬ 
lowed the matter up, will be given. 

March 13, 1913. 

Mr. Newlands said: 

Mr. President: I wish to offer a resolution. I ask unani¬ 
mous consent that it be printed in the Record and that it may 
lie on the table. 

jf: sfc ♦ sfc ♦ ♦ 

It is a resolution for a legislative program. I will address 
the Senate on it at the next session. 

There being no objection, the resolution (S. Res.' 4) was 
ordered to be printed in the Record, as follows: 

Resolution for a legislative program during the extra session. 

1. Resolved, That it is the sense of the Senate that during 
the approaching extra session for the immediate revision of 



46 


LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM 


the tariff Congress should not only consider and pass com¬ 
prehensive legislation regarding all the schedules of the tariff 
but should also, through the appropriate committees, consider 
other subjects of needed legislation, to be taken up for final 
action at the next regular session of Congress. 

Tariff and Taxation. 

2. Resolved, That the Senate Committee on Finance report 
at as early a date as possible during the extra session upon 
the following questions: 

(a) Whether the prices of any farm products in the United 
States are raised above the international level of prices by 
the duties now imposed on such products; and if so, what 
products, and whether such duties on such products can be 
abolished or materially reduced without injury to American 
industry, and to what extent. In such inquiry shall be in¬ 
cluded meats, cheese, wool, sugar, tobacco, wines, citrus fruits, 
and dried and preserved fruits. 

(b) What products now on the dutiable list should be put 
on the free list. 

(c) Whether it is practicable and advisable to change all 
duties from specific to ad valorem duties. 

(d) The average percentage of the duties imposed by the 
existing tariff, and the average percentage to which it is 
desirable to reduce the duties imposed under the proposed 
revision of the tariff, and the maximum and the minimum 
duties which it is desirable to impose. 

(e) Whether it is practicable and desirable to distribute 
the proposed reduction over a period of four years. 

(f) Whether it is practicable and advisable after making 
the contemplated reduction in the tariff to organize an ad¬ 
ministrative tariff board, which, acting under rules fixed by 
Congress, shall have the power, either upon its own initiative, 
or upon the initiative of any importer, producer, or consumer, 
to further inquire into complaints of excessive duties pro¬ 
hibiting or unduly restricting importations, or of diminished 
duties permitting excessive importations, to the prejudice of 
existing domestic industries, and to the injury of the capital 
or labor employed therein, or of excessive duties prejudicial 
to domestic consumers, such board to present to the President 
and to Congress such recommendations as it may deem 
advisable. 

(g) Whether it is practicable and advisable to give such 
tariff board, after full investigation and hearing, the power, 
with the approval of the President, to make reductions or 
increases in duties, within certain limitations and under rules 
prescribed by Congress; and if so, what limitations and rules 
should be prescribed. 

(h) Whether it is practicable and advisable to make such 
rules and regulations for the action of such a tariff board as 
will enable the Government to feel its way gradually from a 
higher protective to a revenue basis without readjustments 
prejudicial both to domestic labor and capital, and without 
denying to the consumers needed relief from the imposition 
of excessive taxes upon foreign imports and excessive prices 
for domestic products. 


LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM 


47 


(i) Whether it is advisable to provide a graduated income 
tax and a graduated inheritance tax with a view to making 
up any deficit in revenue caused by a reduction in customs 
duties, and also with a view to extending the operations of the 
National Government in cooperation with the States in the 
improvement of post roads, the regulation of rivers in aid 
of navigation, irrigation, water-power development, and 
swamp-land reclamation, and also in cooperation with the 
States in the advancement of vocational education. 

(k) Whether it is practicable and advisable to appoint a 
budget committee, of which the chairman of the Appropria¬ 
tion Committee and the chairmen of the other supply com¬ 
mittees shall be members. 

Interstate Commerce. 

3. Resolved, That the Senate Committee on Interstate 
Commerce report at as early a date as possible during the 
extra session upon the following questions: 

(a) Whether it is advisable to supplement the existing 
Sherman Antitrust Act by legislation which will more spe¬ 
cifically define restraints of trade, including therein the pre¬ 
vention of unfair competition, stock watering, overcapitaliza¬ 
tion, excessive size, interlocking directors, and the holding by 
one corporation of the stock of another. 

(b) Whether it is advisable to substitute for the present 
system of holding companies, by which a corporation orga¬ 
nized under the laws of a single State is made the means 
of federating corporations organized under the laws of other 
States for the purpose of interstate transportation, a na¬ 
tional act for the incorporation of holding companies, under 
which railway companies organized under the laws of differ¬ 
ent States may be federated for interstate transportation, 
such holding companies to be subject in their general conduct 
to the regulation of the Interstate Commerce Commission. 

(c) Whether it is advisable to organize an interstate- 
trade commission, in which shall be merged the officials, 
powers, and functions of the Bureau of Corporations, with 
powers of publicity, investigation, correction, and recommen¬ 
dation regarding corporations engaged in interstate trade 
similar to those conferred upon the Interstate Commerce 
Commission regarding corporations engaged in interstate 
transportation, but without the power to fix prices, such inter¬ 
state-trade commission to have the power to aid the courts in 
the administration of the Sherman Act and other legislation 
supplementary thereto. 

(d) Whether it is advisable to provide for the creation 
of a board of river regulation which shall bring into coopera¬ 
tion the departments and services of the National Government 
whose duties in any way relate to waterways in devising and 
carrying out comprehensive plans for the promotion of inter¬ 
state commerce by the regulation of river flow, the mitiga¬ 
tion of destructive floods, by the promotion of storage above 
and of bank and levee protection below, the establishment 
of terminal and transfer facilities, the coordination of rail 
and water carriers, and the cooperation of the Nation with 
the States, each within its jurisdiction, in plans and works for 
the full and, so far as practicable, compensatory development 


48 


SERVICE ON COMMITTEES 


of the rivers for every useful purpose, and the establishment 
of an ample fund for continuous work during a period of 10 
years. 

(e) Whether it is practicable and advisable to bring into 
coordination under the Interstate Commerce Commission the 
related subjects of interstate transportation, interstate trade, 
and interstate exchange, by the creation of three boards in 
such commission, one relating to interstate transportation, 
one relating to interstate trade, and one relating to interstate 
exchange, the present Interstate Commerce Commission to 
constitute the board of interstate transportation, the proposed 
interstate-trade commission to constitute the board of inter¬ 
state trade, and the proposed banking commission to con¬ 
stitute the board of interstate exchange, merging into the 
board of interstate trade the present Bureau of Corporations 
and merging into the board of interstate exchange the Comp¬ 
troller’s office. 

Interstate Exchange. 

4. Resolved, That the proper Senate committee report as 
soon as possible during the extra session upon the following 
question: 

(a) Whether it is practicable and advisable to organize 
under national law in each State a national reserve associa¬ 
tion, in which the State banks engaged in interstate exchange 
and complying with the national legislation as to capital and 
reserves shall be united with the national banks as members, 
such associations to have the powers of issue relating to emer¬ 
gency currency now enjoyed by the constituent national banks; 
such associations to have such of the powers proposed by the 
National Monetary Commission to be conferred upon a cen¬ 
tral national reserve association as are necessary and ad¬ 
visable; such State associations to have the powers of in¬ 
vestigation and correction regarding the affairs of the con¬ 
stituent banks; such State associations to be brought into 
federation for the protection of interstate exchange and the 
prevention of bank panics through a national banking com¬ 
mission fairly representative of the different sections of the 
country, part of which shall be selected by such associations 
and part by the President of the United States; such na¬ 
tional banking commission to have powers of investigation 
and correction over the State associations, and to report to 
the President and Congress annually such recommendations as 
it deems advisable regarding legislation and administration 
concerning monetary affairs. 

Public Lands and Natural Resources. 

5. Resolved, That the Senate Committee on Public Lands 
report at as early a date as possible during the extra session 
upon the following questions: 

(a) Whether it would be advisable for the National Gov¬ 
ernment to promote the development of Alaska by the con¬ 
struction of a railroad or railroads; and, if so, the probable 
cost and plans for construction and operation. 

(b) Recommendations regarding the protection of our 
natural resources in timber, coal, iron, and oil against monopo¬ 
listic control. 

(c) The applicability of the land laws of Canada to the 


LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM 


49 


conditions of our public domain, and particularly those pro¬ 
visions regarding the grant of the surface to settlers, exclud¬ 
ing from the operation of the grant—timber, coal, iron, oil, 
and water-power sites. 

Military Expenses and Auxiliary Navy. 

6. Resolved, That the Committees on Military and Naval 
Affairs report at as early a date as possible during the extra 
session upon the following questions: 

(a) The preparation of a plan for the more efficient ad¬ 
ministration and cooperation of the Army and Navy and the 
reduction of the total Army and Navy expense for the next 
four years to not exceeding $225,000,000 annually, with the 
aid of a board of Army and Navy officers to be selected by 
the President. 

(b) A plan for the construction of auxiliary ships for the 
Navy, to be used in time of war in aid of the fighting ships 
and in time of peace in establishing necessary service through 
the Panama Canal and new routes of commerce to foreign 
countries through lease to shipping companies; such legis¬ 
lation involving the temporary diminution of the construc¬ 
tion of fighting ships and the substitution of auxiliary ships 
with a view to the organization of a well-proportioned and 
efficient Navy. 

Mr. Newlands: Mr. President, my purpose in offering 
these resolutions is to secure the consideration during the 
extra session by the appropriate committees of the various 
subjects which are likely to come up for legislative action 
during the next regular session in December. 

Our experience in these extra sessions teaches us that 
whilst the tariff bill is in committee or pending in the House, 
the Senate has nothing to do, and whilst the bill is pending 
in the Senate the House has nothing to do, and that while 
the committees in the Senate and the House having jurisdic¬ 
tion of the tariff are busy the remaining committees are 
without occupation. 

The Democratic platform presents so many matters re¬ 
quiring legislative action that it is important that the com¬ 
mittees should clear the way as soon as practicable, and the 
extra session offers this opportunity. It is not my purpose 
to embarrass the extra session by any legislation relating 
to subjects other than the tariff, but simply to keep the com¬ 
mittees of the Senate during the extra session employed in 
work which will be productive of results at the next regular 
session commencing in December. 

The subjects which I have incorporated in this legislative 
program are subjects which are referred to in the Democratic 
platform and require early solution. 

The membership of Congress is highly efficient. The 
methods of Congress are not highly efficient. Experience has 
shown that owing to these methods the sessions of Congress 
are constantly increasing in length, so that they threaten 
to become continuous. The resolutions do not commit the 
Senate in any way to specific legislation, but simply call 
upon the appropriate committees for reports upon the dif¬ 
ferent subjects of legislation which will be of great advan¬ 
tage in the ultimate solution of legislative problems. 


50 


LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM 


CALENDAR OF MR. N E WLAN DS’ WORK IN SUPPORT OF 
A LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM. 


1911. 
Feb. 3. 


Mar. 15. 
May 11. 

May 15. 


May 16. 
May 24. 
June 24. 
July 15. 


July 22. 


July 24. 
Aug. 4. 
Aug. 5. 
Dec. 5. 

Dec. 7. 

Dec. 11. 

1912. 
Jan. 23. 


Oct. 3. 


1913. 
Mar. 13. 


Mar. 17. 

Apr. 21. 
May 5. 
May 19. 
May 20. 


Mr. Newlands wrote a letter to The Commoner 
which included a proposal for a legislative pro¬ 
gram. 

Letter to Champ Clark along similar lines. 

Remarks of Mr. Newlands in the Senate regarding 
a legislative program. (Introduced S. Res. 41.) 

Remarks of Mr. Newlands in the Senate in sup¬ 
port of the resolution offered for a legislative 
program. (Cong. Rec., pp. 1205 to 1213.) 

Do. (Cong. Rec., pp. 1225-1229.) 

Do. (Cong. Rec., pp. 1515-1517.) 

Do. (Cong. Rec., pp. 2443-2448.) 

Article in The Buffalo Sunday Morning News 

favorably commenting on the legislative pro¬ 
gram. 

Mr. Newlands introduced Sen. Res. No. 109, pro¬ 
viding for a legislative program, and spoke 
thereon. 

(Cong. Rec., p. 3176.) 

Spoke on legislative program (pp. 3181-9). 

Do. (P. 3601.) 

Do. (Pp. 3632-3.) 

Favorable editorial in The Washington Post on 
Mr. Newlands’ legislative program. 

Mr. Newlands introduced Sen. Res. No. 159, pro¬ 
viding for a legislative program. 

Mr. Newlands advocated legislation on the several 
different matters mentioned in his legislative 
program. (Cong. Rec., pp. 136-8.) 

Mr. Newlands advocated legislation on the sev¬ 
eral different matters mentioned in his legisla¬ 
tive program. (Cong. Rec., pp. 643-57.) 

Mr. Newlands contributed an article, entitled 
“Possibilities of a Democratic Administration,” 
to the Independent, which was reprinted as Sen¬ 
ate Document No. 988. 

Mr. Newlands introduced! Sen. Res. No. 4, pro¬ 
viding for a legislative program for the extra 
session, and addressed the Senate thereon. 
(Cong. Rec., pp. 16-17.) 

Remarks of Mr. Newlands on a legislative pro¬ 
gram (pp. 33-34). 

Do. (P. 205.) 

Do. (Pp. 210-211.) 

Do. (Pp. 265-267.) 

Do. (P. 1092.) 



SERVICE ON COMMITTEES 


51 


SERVICE OF MR. NEWLANDS ON 
COMMITTEES IN CONGRESS 


However active a member of Congress may be in intro¬ 
ducing and advocating bills on the floor of the House or 
Senate, yet his hardest work and his greatest opportunity 
of usefulness lie in the Committees, where many hearings 
are given and where the real legislative work is done. In 
this respect Mr. Newlands has been peculiarly fortunate. 
Although only a brief outline of his work on committees can 
be given, it may be sufficient to suggest to those acquainted 
with the work of Congress something of the arduous and 
important nature of the work which he has performed. The 
record of Mr. Newlands’ service on Committees in Congress 
is as follows: 

REPORTS OF COMMITTEES. 


Congress. Committees. 

1st 

Sess. 

2nd 

Sess. 

3rd 

Sess. 

Total 

House. 

53rd 

1893-4-5. Irrigation . 


1 

. . . 

1 

Mines and Mining. 

1 

4 

... 

5 

54th 

1896-7. Banking and Currency.. 

5 

2 

... 

7 

Foreign Affairs. 

. 19 

6 


25 

55th 

1897-8-9. Banking and Currency.. 

. • . • 

8 

2 

10 

Foreign Affairs. 


19 

12 

31 

56th 

1900-01. Ways and Means. 

. 22 

13 


35 

57th 

1902-3. Ways and Means. 

. 27 

16 

. .. 

43 

Irrigation of Arid Lands. 

4 

3 


7 

Senate. 

58th 

1903-4-5. Education and Labor. .. 


2 


2 

Geological Survey. 


1 

. . . 

1 

Interstate Commerce... . 


7 


7 

Irrigation . 


1 

8 

1 

Mines and Mining. 


5 

13 

Public Lands. 

1 

66 


67 

Territories . 


21 

9 

30 

Industrial Expositions... 

. ... 

2 

1 

3 

59th 

1905-6-7. Education and Labor- 

4 

2 


t> 

Geological Survey. 

1 

2 


3 

Interstate Commerce.. . . 

. 13 



13 

Irrigation . 

7 

2 


9 

Mines and Mining. 

3 

44 


3 

Public Lands.. 

. 98 


142 

Territories. 

14 

16 


30 

Industrial Expositions. . 

. . . . 

3 


3 


























52 

SERVICE ON COMMITTEES 



60th 

1907-8. 

Commerce . 

184 



184 


District of Columbia. 

68 



68 


Interstate Commerce. 

7 



7 


Irrigation . 

1 



1 


Library of Congress. 

16 



16 


Philippines . 

5 



5 


Public Lands. 

82 



82 


Territories . 

12 


* .. 

12 

Senate. 

61st 

1909-10. 

Commerce . 

Conservation of National 

16 

130 

75 

221 


Resources . 


2 

... 

2 


Interstate Commerce. 


9 

2 

11 


Industrial Expositions.... 
(Appointed at beginning 
of third session.) 
Irrigation and Reclama- 



1 

1 


tion of Arid Lands.... 

1 

10 

6 

17 


The Library. 


11 

10 

21 


Public Expenditures. 


2 

. . . 

2 


Public Lands. 


84 

42 

126 

62nd 

1911-12. 

Corporations Organized in 
the District of Columbia. 
(Chairman 1st sess. only.) 


A 




Commerce . 

29 

147 

37 

213 


Industrial Expositions. . . . 
(Member 1st and 2nd 
sessions.) 

2 

2 

• • • 

4 


Interstate Commerce. 

Irrigation and Reclama- 

1 

8 

3 

12 


tion of Arid Lands. 


4 

• . • 

4 


Library . 

3 

10 

5] 

18 


Public Lands. 

Revolutionary Claims. 
(Chairman 2nd and 3rd 
sessions.) 

7 

108 

38 

153 

63rd 

1913-14. 

Interstate Commerce. 

(Chairman.) 

1 

10 


11 


Library . 

2 

11 


13 


Grand Total. 


• • • 

• • • 

1,703 


(Mr. Newlands is a member of four other committees, 
but their work in the 63d Congress was not important.) 


At the beginning of the 63d Congress, when he became 
Chairman of the important Interstate Commerce Committee, 
Senator Newlands gave up his membership in other im¬ 
portant committees to devote his time to it. Some idea- of 

































SERVICE ON COMMITTEES 


53 


the work accomplished by that committee may be gained 
from a few figures. The committee has upon its docket 90 
bills and resolutions. It has held 63 meetings, of which 32 
were public hearings on different subjects, and 31 were execu¬ 
tive meetings. Twenty-one of the hearings were on bills relat¬ 
ing to interstate trade, and most of the executive meetings 
were given up to the discussion of those bills. The com¬ 
mittee transacted some other business, but the consideration 
of the trust measures was sufficient to keep all its time 
occupied. 


54 MATTERS OF INTEREST TO NEVADA 

MATTERS OF INTEREST TO NEVADA 


The charge is sometimes made that Senator Newlands, in 
his absorption in subjects of nation-wide interest, neglects the 
special interests of Nevada. Nevada certainly has a very 
direct and vital interest in the subjects of irrigation, labor 
legislation, waterways, and other matters in which he is a 
leader. But it would be a mistake to conclude, because of 
his commanding position with regard to matters affecting 
the whole country, that he is unmindful of the local interests 
of his State. On the contrary, he has an unusual record of 
useful work for Nevada. The best way of demonstrating this 
is to give a brief statement of some of his activities in that 
direction, followed by a calendar of some of his work. 

NEVADA WAR CLAIMS. 

On June 6, 1900, the House having under consideration 
the bill for the payment of Nevada’s War Claims, Mr. New¬ 
lands said in part: 

“Now, I address myself to the justice and the equity of 
the claim itself, and that involves some consideration of the 
condition which existed when the payments were made upon 
which this claim is based. 

“We were engaged in the Civil War. That war had been 
protracted for three years. All the energy of the Republic 
had been summoned for a final struggle. The United States 
had throughout that entire Intermountain and Pacific coast 
region 18,000 regular troops engaged in keeping open the 
overland mail route, in protecting the immigrant routes, and 
in maintaining a sufficient show of force to prevent the 
Indian uprisings which had been so frequent prior to that 
time, and which were so serious subsequent to the war. 

“These troops were needed at the front. Pursuing the 
ordinary course, it would have been necessary for the Gov¬ 
ernment to have enlisted troops in the East and sent them 
to the West. That would have involved an expenditure 
of $200, and probably $300 for every man of the 1,100 troops 
furnished by the State of Nevada. The transportation and 
subsistence alone upon the road would have amounted nearly 
to the entire amount of the claim. 

“An appeal to the patriotism of the people of that region 
was made. Nevada was a struggling territory sparsely 
peopled. A requisition was made upon her for 1,100 men. 
It was a period of time when the gold excitement had 
broken out and the Comstock was aflame. Men were obtain¬ 
ing the high rate of wages that prevailed recently in the 
Klondike—from $5 to $10 a day. 

“There were conditions of exceptional difficulty. * * * 

* * One of the officers reported that owing to the high 

wages it was almost impossible to obtain enlistments, and 
that from one company, I believe, there had been 50 deser¬ 
tions of men who wished to go to the mines. * * * * * 

Then what was the condition in reference to the Federal 
currency in which the pay of the soldiers was made? It was 



MATTERS OP INTEREST TO NEVADA 55 

at a discount of from 40 to 50 per cent. ***** Up to 

the early years of the Civil War it had been the custom to 

pay the Federal troops upon that coast double pay, and to 
pay each officer $60 per month in addition. The condition 
which demanded that continued to exist, but* for some 
reason, or through inadvertence, the law authorizing it was 
repealed in the early years of the war, so that the troops 

had to receive $13 in currency, worth $8 in gold, and it 

was necessary to change the currency into gold in order 
to make any use of it. * * * * * * * * * * * 

“And what did Nevada do? This little territory of 

Nevada, without funds in its treasury, borrowed $100,000, and 
later other sums, passed a law giving its men $5 extra per 
month in gold, which made their total pay $13 a month in 
gold, hardly equal to the $13 in greenbacks paid in the East. 
The Territory incurred that debt, and Nevada, the subse¬ 
quently organized State, upon which the burdens of state¬ 
hood were forced by the Federal Government, a State which 
was invited into the Union by Congress for the purpose 
of aiding in passing the thirteenth and fourteenth amend¬ 
ments and in the great work of reconstruction, assumed 
that debt in the expectation that the Federal Government 
would reimburse it. This claim is for the moneys actually 
paid and the interest actually paid during that period. * * * 
“Now, gentlemen, we have this bill before us. In the 
brief time accorded to me I have shown you that the State 
of Nevada, having assumed the obligations of the Territory 
of Nevada—obligations arising entirely out of the equip¬ 
ment and maintaining of the troops of the United States 
in the national defense, an obligation of the Federal Gov¬ 
ernment, not of the State or Territorial Government—has 
been persistent in urging this claim before the Departments 
and before Congress; that there never has been an adverse 
report upon the merits or the justice of the claim anywhere; 
but, on the contrary, we have the assertion of distinguished 
and experienced officers of the Army that the claim is just 
and equitable. This measure has had five favorable reports 
in the Senate, coming from the Committee on Claims as 
well as Military Affairs of that body, and four in the House 
in successive Congresses as well as the sanction of legislation 
in the shape of a bill passed four times; in the Senate 
and the action of both houses in the omnibus appropriation 
bill referring it to the Secretary of the Treasury for a state¬ 
ment of account. And, Mr. Speaker, it is high time that it 
should be paid, and the proper place for its consideration 
and payment is certainly in one of the general appropria¬ 
tion bills.” 

The payment of these claims was secured, after a hard 
fight. 

CARSON MINT. 

One of the questions which comes up at nearly every 
session of Congress and has to be fought over and over 
again, is the abolition of the Western assay offices. It is well 
known that the Treasury officials have for years desired to 
do away with them, and only the determined resistance of 
the Western Congressmen and Senators has prevented the 


56 


MATTERS OF INTEREST TO NEVADA 


plan from being carried out. Mr. Newlands has always been 
on guard and in the front of the battle, whenever this mat¬ 
ter has come up. 

On December 17, 1897, he offered in the House an Amend¬ 
ment to the Legislative, Executive and Judicial Appropria¬ 
tion bill providing for the expense of maintaining the mint 
at Carson City, and in the course of his remarks said: 

“Now, gentlemen, I wish to say with reference to 
Nevada, that the total product of both gold and silver in 
the United States has been a little less than two billions and 
a half since 1860, and that Nevada has produced, in almost 
equal proportions of the two metals, one-fourth of this amount. 
* * * * * It is hardly a graceful action to take the mint 

away from Nevada, a State which has produced one-fourth 
of the country’s metallic stock. ***** This remon¬ 
strance from Nevada is a natural remonstrance against legis¬ 
lation which has destroyed the leading industry of that. State 
and paralyzed it. 

“You can understand what this would mean simply 
as an industrial question as applied to the iron mills or the 
steel plants of Pennsylvania, or to the cotton mills and 
woolen mills of Massachusetts. It is a natural and healthy 
and indignant protest against what the State of Nevada 
regards as bad and destructive legislation. Now, it is true 
that the bullion production of that State has declined. She 
is no longer producing silver in large quantities. There is 
no stimulus now for the production of silver, and the people 
of Nevada have turned their attention to gold. ***** 

“The cost of coinage will depend upon the amount of 
bullion that is put into the mint for coinage, and if the 
silver which is naturally tributary to that mint is taken 
3,000 miles away and stored in Philadelphia for coinage, 
that will necessarily result in a high cost of coinage for 
the small amount that is permitted to be done at Carson. 
What I contend is that practically under the appropriation 
of last year the mint at Carson has been simply turned 
into an assay office. ***** 

“It seems to me that, considering the fact that Nevada 
is today either the fourth or fifth bullion-producing State 
in this country, it is entitled to this recognition by the 
Government, and that its requirements cannot be properly 
and wisely met by the Government except by furnishing the 
customary facilities to the miners of that region.” 

On February 6, 1902, while the Legislative, Executive, 
and Judicial Appropriation bill was under discussion in 
the House, Mr. Newlands renewed his efforts to secure 
an increase in the allowance for the expenses of the Carson 
Mint. While his amendments increasing the appropriation 
were lost, he fought for the mint, as he had always done, 
and in the course of his remarks said in part: 

“As a reason for the very large reduction in the expenses 
of this office the gentleman says that the receipts of last 
year were only $277,000, and the expenses constitute 4 per 
cent, of those receipts. He says he has reduced the expenses 
of this office so as to equal the expenses ofl some other 
offices having similar receipts. He also says that the Director 
of the Mint recommended this change. On the contrary, 


MATTERS OF INTEREST TO NEVADA 


57 


the estimates of the Secretary of the Treasury make the 
expenses of this office nearly double those allowed by the 
committee, and in the hearing the Director of the Mint 
was questioned regarding the expenses of this office and 
he said: 

“ ‘This is the first year it has been as low as $270,000. 
It has been below $500,000/ 

“Mr. Littauer. ‘There is no prospect of its increasing?’ 

“Mr. Roberts. ‘Yes, there is. There is a good deal of 
prospecting going on in Nevada, and there is considerable 
prospect. If it does not recover this year I think it could 
be still further reduced or abolished.’ 

“So that the recommendation of the Director of the Mint 
was that the appropriation should continue for the year; 
that if the receipt did not return to the old average, that 
then the reduction should be made in these salaries. 

“Now let me say a word with reference to the prospecting 
that is going on in the State of Nevada. It is something 
more than prospecting. This Carson Mint was established 
near the great Comstock, which supplied $600,000,000 of gold 
and silver to the world; and during the flourishing times of 

the Comstock it was not a mere assay office, but a great 

mint. 

“It has been reduced from a mint to an assay office, and 
the business has declined as the business of the Comstock 

has declined; but prospectors have been at work in the State, 

and in the great Tonopah, on the Carson and Colorado Rail¬ 
road, a strike has been made directly tributary to the Carson 
Mint. In a short time over 2,500 men have gone to that 
camp, and it is estimated that within the last month very 
nearly a million dollars’ worth was taken out by men en¬ 
joying leasehold interests in these mines. These mines are 
going into the ownership of a great Philadelphia company, 
and it is estimated that the mines will be conducted during 
the year on a very large scale. Tonopah is referred to as the 
new Comstock in that region. 

“I ask when the Director of the Mint states that they 
have reached the lowest ebb in receipts of that office, and also 
states that there is prospecting going on in that State, and 
recommends the appropriation contained in the Book of Esti¬ 
mates, and a reduction next year if the receipts are not in¬ 
creased, I ask if under that statement it is fair for the gentle¬ 
men to urge this reduction now? * * * * * 

“The gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Livingston) says that 
the work now done at Carson City can be done at San Fran¬ 
cisco. But, sir, San Francisco * * * * * is 600 miles 

from the eastern part of our State. It is about 400 from the 
camp of Tonopah, to which I have referred, which is devel¬ 
oping as the second Comstock of that region. 

“I ask the gentleman whether he regards it as a matter 
of convenience to the miners and prospectors of that region 
to compel them to send their specimens and their ores hun¬ 
dreds of miles in order to be tested when the test could be 
applied at a Government office conveniently accessible? 

“* * * * * If this metal is shipped to Philadelphia or 

San Francisco, a heavy charge for expressing must be paid. 


58 


MATTERS OF INTEREST TO NEVADA 


But why should we by such a system build up a mint 3,000 
miles away from the mines?” 

LEGALIZATION OF CONVEYANCES WITHIN RAILROAD 
RIGHT OF WAY IN HUMBOLDT AND ELKO COUNTIES. 


In the third session of the Sixty-second Congress, a bill 
passed the Senate legalizing the conveyances made by the 
Central Pacific and other companies within its grant of right 
of way, but failed to pass the House. Mr. Newlands took the 
matter up in March, 1914, and introduced a new bill (S. 5042) 
for a similar purpose. A hearing was had before the Com¬ 
mittee on the Judiciary and, after considerable negotiation, 
in which Mr. Edwin E. Caine, of Elko, w T as very effective, the 
bill was favorably reported and passed the Senate on July 9. 
The bill will be pressed in the House and there seems no 
reason to doubt its early passage. It has been very carefully 
considered, in the light of late decisions of the courts and 
with a view to the protection of the rights of the owners of 
such property. This matter is of peculiar interest to the 
people of Winnemucca, Elko, Lovelock, and other towns along 
the line of the Central Pacific. 

NEVADA INDIANS. 

In February, 1914, Mr. Newlands introduced two bills for 
the benefit of the Nevada Indians, one to provide homes for 
aged and indigent Indians and the other to build and maintain 
a hospital for the care and treatment of their sick. His 
interest in the Indians is not a new one. 

On February 5, 1907, in the debate on the Indian Appro¬ 
priation Bill, Senator Newlands said, in part, referring to the 
allotment of Indian lands under the Reclamation Act: 

‘‘This great reclamation project now going on in Nevada 
is the reclamation of land belonging to the United States 
Government, which is about to be turned into homes for home 
seekers. The Indians have a large reservation in that vi¬ 
cinity. Arrangements have been made to divide up that reser¬ 
vation and allot the lands to the Indians. These lands will 
be of almost no service to the Indians in their present con¬ 
dition, for they have no water. In order to supply them with 
water it is necessary to bring them under the present irriga¬ 
tion project that is now approaching completion. It is pro¬ 
posed, therefore, to allot these Indians small holdings. The 
Government would supply to each of these small holdings 
water from this irrigation project, and thus enable the Indians 
to cultivate the soil alloted to them. 

“It also provides that, so far as the Indian’s smaller allot¬ 
ment is concerned, he shall not be called upon to make the 
compensatory payment required by the reclamation act. 
Under that act every settler is compelled to pay back to the 
Government a portion of the cost of reclamation in ten annual 
installments, but it would be obviously unfair to impose that 
payment upon the Indians to whom these lands have been 
allotted. It is therefore proposed that, so far as these small 
allotments are concerned, compensatory payments to the rec¬ 
lamation fund shall be paid) out of the General Treasury. 



MATTERS OF INTEREST TO NEVADA 


59 


This is done under the general power and control of the Gen¬ 
eral Government over these Indians as the wards of the 
nation. 

“The expenditures involved, as I understand, will be very- 
small. The improvement is of the greatest importance. It 
is of the highest importance to the Indians, who are about to 
be released practically from the control of the Government 
by the destruction of this reservation, that they should have 
immediate means of livelihood. The Senator from Maine will 
recognize the fact that if these Indians are simply turned out 
upon this sagebrush, upon desert land, and obliged to depend 
upon such allotments for support, they will make a very 
meager support; in fact, they will be unable to make any 
support. In the interest, therefore, of the Indians it is im¬ 
portant that this matter should be immediately adjusted. 
* * * * * I suggest that the interest of the Government, 

the interest of the Indians, and the interest of the entire 
reclamation project would be prejudiced by postponing legis¬ 
lation upon this subject?” 

TAX REDUCTION. 


On January 30, 1903, the Committee on Ways and Means 
of the Senate and Assembly of the Nevada Legislature having 
under consideration a proposed new tax law, Mr. Newlands ap¬ 
peared and made an exhaustive statement of his views on the 
subject, which was afterwards published in pamphlet form. 
This law, which was passed at that session, in accordance 
with Mr. Newlands' suggestion, was designed to secure good 
and economical government in Nevada; the amount of taxes 
which could be levied was limited, the method of making up 
the budget of estimates provided, the County Commissioners 
were forbidden to make any contracts for the expenditure of 
moneys not actually in hand, etc. A State Examiner was 
provided for, whose duty it was to audit the accounts of the 
various county officials and to instruct them in their duties, 
especially with reference to the levying and collection of 
taxes. It was designed that the tax rate should be gradu¬ 
ally reduced, on a sliding scale extending over a number of 
years, thus forcing a raise in the assessed values. In explain¬ 
ing the provisions and his reasons for urging them, Mr. New¬ 
lands said to the Committee: 

“Now, gentlemen, we are in a period of transition from 
old to new conditions. We are just entering upon what we 
regard as an era of prosperity, and it is of the^ highest im¬ 
portance that we should frame our laws in such a way as to 
secure the benefit of this prosperity and not waste it by im¬ 
providence or extravagance. We are bound to have an era 
of extravagance if we do not look out. Such eras have 
existed before in the history of this State, and as the result 
of such an era, the County of Lincoln, for example, is now 
absolutely burthened with debt. * * * * * This will be 

the experience of other counties unless we take this matter 
in hand very soon and provide against it; and the time to 
take it in hand is before the extravagance commences, be¬ 
cause you will find that when it is in full swing many in- 



60 


MATTERS OF INTEREST TO NEVADA 


fluences will be brought to bear in opposition to reformative 
measures. 

“Now we have in this State a reduced rate of taxation 
as the result of the efforts of the State Administration during 
the past few years. The State tax has been reduced from 
one dollar to eighty cents, and Governor Sadler’s message 
informs us that it can be reduced to sixty-Ave cents on the 
hundred dollars. The rate of taxation has been reduced in the 
various counties as the result of an increased assessment. 
Our aim ought to be a State tax of not exceeding Afty cents 
on the hundred dollars, a county tax rate not exceeding that 
amount, and a town or a city tax rate not exceeding that, so 
that, in a town or city, the total tax, State, County, and town, 
will not exceed one dollar and Afty cents on the hundred dol¬ 
lars ; and in the county, outside of towns, the total tax rate, 
state and county, will not exceed one dollar. I think this is 
an ample amount, and that in time the State and County tax 
ought to go below that amount, because we all know that 
throughout the commercial world at the present time the 
prevailing rates of interest hardly exceed four per cent, and it 
seems absurd that there should be a rate of taxation equal to 
one-third even of the going rate of interest. The old theory 
was that a tax rate ought not to be more than one-tenth; 
but, even at the limit suggested it would be one-third of the 
prevailing rate of interest. ***** 

“The true way of going at it is to force in the Arst place 
by law a reduction in the tax-rate, and this insures either 
economy in the operation of government and consequent re¬ 
duction in expenses, or an increased assessment. If it forces 
an increased assessment the tax payer is better pleased, be¬ 
cause he knows that under the operation of the law the 
tax rate will be diminished and that he will pay no more 
in the aggregate; whereas, if you Arst raise his assessment 
ten, Afteen, or twenty per cent, he has no assurance that the 
tax rate will be diminished and he is in a state of alarm. 
He fears that the former tax rate, may be maintained or 
possibly increased. ***** 

“I would also place a limitation upon the power to con¬ 
tract debts. I believe thoroughly myself in home rule. I do 
not believe in the legislature of a State authorizing a county 
to go into debt to the extent of forty or Afty thousand dol¬ 
lars, without consulting the people. I believe that these 
things should always be submitted to a vote of the people, 
and I would give the right to two-thirds or three-fourths 
of the people—I believe that two-thirds is the majority they 
require in San Francisco under the charter—to issue any 
bonds for any public purpose that they may see At, and not 
to permit the county commissioners or town trustees to do 
so without such vote of the people; and thus you would 
have the greatest possible guarantee against folly or ex¬ 
travagance, because such a matter would have Arst to pass 
the commissioners of the county or the trustees of the town, 
as the case may be, and then must be ratiAed by this two- 
thirds vote of the people. 

“The effect of this constantly diminishing tax rate will 
be that in all counties where they are now* down to an 
economical administration of governmental affairs, it will 


MATTERS OF INTEREST TO NEVADA 


61 


force an increase in the assessment, and in all counties where 
there is extravagant government, it will force gradual econ¬ 
omy; it will cause careful, painstaking, economical manage¬ 
ment of county and municipal governmental affairs, which 
is ‘a consummation devoutly to be wished.’ * * * * * 

“The first years of a revenue law are always years of 
friction. To reach a condition of general satisfaction time 
is required. Under the present law you bring together here 
the assessors from the fourteen counties of the State, men 
who have not been touching elbows with each other, who do 
not know the methods of computation and valuation in use 
in the counties adjoining their own, each one shaping his 
assessment in such a way as to suit his ideas and the con¬ 
ditions of his county as they appear to him; each one thor¬ 
oughly individualized; each one feeling that his system and 
method may become the subject of criticism and attack. They 
should be acting together and in harmony. It is not to be 
wondered at that at first there is contention, as there was 
two years ago. Gradually they come in communication with 
each other, a mutual interest is naturally aroused in their 
common work. Then comes a spirit of co-operation looking 
to the best methods of procedure to insure the common 
good. That will be the result finally.” 

In November and December, 1912, Mr. Newlands took an 
active part in initiating, through the auspices of the Reno 
Commercial Club, the movement which 1 resulted in the crea¬ 
tion of the State Tax Commission. 

A DEFENSE OF NEVADA. 


From speech by Mr. Newlands, in the House, Dec. 13, 
1893. 

“The gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Harter) yesterday, in 
opposing the measure for the admission of Utah to the Union, 
declared that if we only had some means of turning out 
Nevada whilst we let in Utah he would be in favor of it. 
I do not see the gentleman on the floor, and I am at a loss 
to know why Nevada should be the special object of anim¬ 
adversion whenever this question of the creation of a new 
State is brought up. Do the people of that State forget that 
when this country was in the throes of rebellion the little 
state of Nevada poured into the lap of the nation $600,000,000? 
Do they forget that President Lincoln, shortly before his 
death, viewing with gratification the increased output of silver 
in that and the adjoining States, asked Speaker Colfax to 
bear to that people a special message of congratulation on 
the fact that ‘the increasing production of silver in that region 
will aid the country in the restoration of specie payments and 
solve perplexing financial questions?’ ***** 

“Why is Nevada prostrate today? Because the legislation 
of the nation has been leveled against her. You have 
suppressed her silver-mining. She has recently been paying 
attention to the wool industry, and you propose to suppress 
that. Borax and soda are her only remaining minerals on 
which she can rely. She has for years been engaged in the 
process of developing vast fields of soda and borax and you 



62 


MATTERS OF INTEREST TO NEVADA 


propose to put them upon the free list. This tariff is to be 
framed in such a way that New England shall have every¬ 
thing free that she does not produce and everything protected 
that she does. 

“Gentlemen, Nevada deserves nothing like contempt or 
derision. She is small in population, but she is great in the 
vigor and intellect of her people. I approached a small- 
minded man who happened to hold a position under the late 
administration with reference to an appointment from that 
State and he said to me: ‘Don’t you think little Nevada 
has had enough?’ I said: ‘Yes, if you consider the sparse¬ 
ness of her population; but no, if you consider the brains of 
her men’.” 


THE FUTURE OF NEVADA. 


(From an Article on “Nevada’s Future,” by Senator 
Newlands.) 

“It is perhaps not generally known that Nevada has 
produced more gold and silver than any other State in the 
Union. She has yielded in all about $600,000,000 in gold and 
silver. The present stock of gold and silver coin in the world 
is a little over eight billion dollars, and some idea of the 
immense yield of the State can be gained from the fact that 
it has been equal to about one-fourteenth of the entire stock 
of gold and silver coin in the world. 

“Nevada has not profited by this immense yield, because 
she was too near to San Francisco. The Central Pacific Rail¬ 
road furnished the only through transportation; there was 
no railroad competition such as would develop a great com¬ 
mercial emporium like Denver in Colorado, or Salt Lake City 
in Utah, and San Francisco became the distributing point 
for the whole State, the goods from the East intended for 
distribution in Nevada being charged not only the through 
rate to San Francisco but the local rate back. Thus the 
whole policy of the railroad was such as to prevent the build¬ 
ing up of a great commercial emporium where aggregations 
of capital would be collected for employment in local de¬ 
velopment, and from which the hands of enterprise would 
be stretched to the boundaries of the State, energizing and 
sustaining the various industries. In addition to this, almost 
all the mining industries of Nevada were promoted by San 
Francisco capital and the profits went to San Francisco and 
other parts of the world for permanent investment. 

“* * * * * There is no other agriculture so scientific 

as that of irrigation. The fall of rain from the heavens 
may be too much or too little, but science can always regu¬ 
late the amount of water that is required to be diverted 
from a stream and carried over adjacent lands. The task 
of those who first took up lands along these streams was com¬ 
paratively an easy one, for, whether the stream was high or 
low, sufficient water was obtained for their requirements, but 
it was found that the cultivation was limited by the condi¬ 
tion of the streams at their periods of lowest flow. Snows 
melting in the Spring turned the streams into torrents of 



MATTERS OF INTEREST TO NEVADA 


63 


water which rushed down into the lowest parts of the so- 
called deserts and formed great lakes, where they served 
no useful purpose, and when the summer heat came the 
stream would be so small and attenuated as to supply suffi¬ 
cient only for a very limited area of land. 

“There are four such streams in Nevada: One—the Hum¬ 
boldt River, which takes its source in the eastern part of 
the State in the mountains adjoining the Rocky Mountains, 
and runs three or four hundred miles to the western part of 
the State, where it forms in the lowest part of the desert 
a great lake, called Humboldt Lake. The three other streams 
are the Truckee River, the Carson River, and the Walker 
River, all having their sources in the Sierra Nevada Moun¬ 
tains in the western part of the State, which divide the State 
from California. These mountains are also the source of the 
great rivers of California, rivers which empty their waters 
into the Pacific Ocean through the Bay of San Francisco. 
The Nevada streams take their source on the Eastern 
side of these mountains, and, flowing to the East, have, of 
course, no outlet to the ocean; they simply flow down into the 
desert, whereon they form great lakes. 

“These lakes measure the unutilized waters of Nevada. 
They are formed by the rush of torrential streams in the 
Spring. The Spring freshets have increased as the mountains 
have been denuded of their forests, for the forests are the 
natural protectors of the snow banks, and as they are cut 
down, the snows, exposed to the fierce rays of the sun, melt 
more rapidly. The waters coming from the melting snows in 
the early Spring and Summer months find their way to these 
great lakes in the desert, where it is impossible to utilize 
them for irrigation, as they lie below the lands to be re¬ 
claimed. Irrigation requires that the water shall be taken 
out of the river at a higher point and diverted over lands re¬ 
mote from the river, at a lower point. The rush of waters 
in the streams is at a time when it is least needed for irriga¬ 
tion, and at the time when the water is most required, during 
the hot months of July and August, the streams are attenu¬ 
ated threads of water, while the lakes below are full, serving 
no purpose save to satisfy the thirst of the sun. 

“Whilst Nevada has great areas of the richest soil in 
the world, capable of producing abundant crops, the moisture 
needed for their reclamation cannot be secured at the proper 
time and the problem of the future is to prevent these waters, 
produced by the melting snows, from flowing down when they 
are not required and to hold them in artificial dams or reser¬ 
voirs in the mountains, on tap and responsive to the demands 
of the farmers below. In this way the streams can be kept 
measurably full until the irrigation season is over, and thus, 
vast additional areas of land can be brought under cultiva¬ 
tion. Another great advantage of obtaining a regular flow 
of water in these streams lies in the use of the water for 
power purposes. At present, owing to the irregularity of the 
flow, manufacturers are deterred from erecting plants that, 
under an assurance of power, would be constructed. * * * 

“The unsatisfactory railway situation has also impaired 
the development of Nevada. The Central Pacific Railroad, 
joining with the Union Pacific at Ogden, was the first trans- 


64 


MATTERS OF INTEREST TO NEVADA 


continental line constructed; but its promoters became in¬ 
volved in the construction of the Southern Pacific road, which 
was a through transcontinental line, instead of simply a 
portion of one, as was the Central Pacific. All their energies 
were diverted into the lines of completing this road and 
developing its business, instead of increasing the population 
of Nevada as a means of increasing the Central Pacific’s 
business. Later on, they became involved in a controversy 
with the government as to the payments of the loans guar¬ 
anteed by the government. The interest was not paid, and 
for years measures were pending relating to the funding of 
this debt. 

“During this time the main argument in favor of liberal 
extension and lower interest was that the road itself was 
a worthless road. It was argued that Nevada served no 
other purpose than as a foundation for a railroad bridge reach¬ 
ing from Ogden to California. And so, the public discussion 
regarding the railroad, which should have been the pioneer 
of the great development, as has been the case of all other 
transcontinental lines, was instrumental in creating the im¬ 
pression throughout the country that Nevada was destitute 
of natural resources. It naturally follows, therefore, in the 
race of progress, that Arizona, Idaho, Wyoming, and Montana, 
which were away behind Nevada, have outstripped her in 
population and material development. This railroad contro¬ 
versy has recently been settled by the funding of the debt; 
the Central Pacific has now become a part of the Southern 
Pacific system, and the owners of this system will undoubtedly 
see the wisdom of increasing the population of Nevada by 
calling attention to its great natural resources, and by pur¬ 
suing the lines of State development which has been the 
policy of other transcontinental lines regarding uninhabited 
territory.” 

THE NEW DAY IN NEVADA. 


(Article by Senator Newlands, published in the Gold¬ 
field News.) 

“We are entering upon a new day in the life of our 
State—a day that has already some achievement to its credit, 
with the promise of much more in the early future. 

“It was once charged that Nevada’s mineral wealth was 
exhausted and that never again would capital and enterprise 
turn in this direction on that account. In traveling East 
last month I listened to the eloquence of a gentleman whom 
I did not know, but who talked of Nevada, and nothing but 
Nevada, asserting that it is ‘another South Africa’ and that 
it would surprise the world with its output of precious metals. 
Of course, Nevadans never doubted that this is so, but it is 
good to hear it from the lips of the New Yorker. The new 
tune is much sweeter than the old one with which they used 
to tell us of the hopeless plight of our great State. 

“But whilst we must all rejoice in the revival of our 
mining industry, we may find equal cause for congratulation 
in the growth of our commercial towns and in the expansion 
of our agriculture under the national irrigation law. The 
number of homes upon the soil, the extent of cultivated lands, 



MATTERS OF INTEREST TO NEVADA 


65 


and the amount of our annual product will be multiplied 
many times over when the works now under way are com¬ 
pleted. But these works do not mark the limit of our pos¬ 
sibilities. There are other great opportunities besides those 
on the Truckee and Carson. We shall some day see a won¬ 
derful development on the Walker River and in the long 
valley of the Humboldt, and the view which the traveler now 
sees from the transcontinental train will be transformed. 

“Our real cause for rejoicing is not in any single one 
of these facts, but in all of them together. Genuine and 
lasting prosperity, that kind of prosperity which is dis¬ 
tributed among all elements of population, comes from the 
symmetrical development of the whole variety of natural 
resources. That is what we are beginning to see in Nevada 
and we shall see in constantly increasing measure as time 
goes on. 

“But mines and farms and thriving towns are not the 
only assets Nevada has with which to appeal to the interest 
of the outside world. We are living in a time of wide un¬ 
rest and, as it seems to me, are soon to see what Lincoln 
called ‘a new birth of institutions.’ In my judgment, Nevada 
is peculiarly suited to become the field for the most advanced 
legislation aiming to increase the power of the people in the 
control of their affairs. The significant feature of the last 
presidential election was the marked independence of the 
voters throughout the land. The great feature of the elec¬ 
tions held last month was the manner in which this new inde¬ 
pendence was used to overthrow bosses and machines. The 
coming conflict will be between popular rights and the power 
which has been so largely, in the hands of incorporated 
wealth, employed not only in transportation, but in dealing 
with all the necessities of life. 

“I would like to see Nevada takes its place in the very 
front of the firing line and lead the way toward a higher 
expression of Democracy. I think the State is fortunately 
situated for such an undertaking, because its population is 
small and largely self-employing so that it enjoys a degree 
of freedom from various forms of coercion which does not 
prevail in states containing great city populations. 

“The advantage which the spirit of political independence 
has recently gained over the machines and bosses can only be 
perpetuated by a change in our^ method of making nomi¬ 
nations. I believe in what is called the direct primary, in 
which the people make the nominations themselves without 
the intervention of delegates, conventions, or the inevitable 
managers who control the process. With this reform, we 
would take a long step toward real independence for the 
masses of voters. As I believe in direct nomination, so also 
I believe in direct legislation—in the power of the people to 
initiate laws by their own action, and the power of the 
people to veto laws adopted by their representatives, when¬ 
ever they care to invoke the referndum. Several California 
cities have gone a step farther and incorporated in their 
charters a provision for the recall, a device by means of 
which any public official may be compelled to submit him¬ 
self for re-election when his course in office is challenged 
by a considerable number of voters. 


66 


MATTERS OF INTEREST TO NEVADA 


“De Tocqueville said, ‘The remedy for the evils of Democ¬ 
racy is more Democracy.’ Beyond all question, we are suf¬ 
fering from certain evils which have arisen with the growth 
of Democracy. Now, let us administer the antidote, which 
is ‘more Democracy.’ And let Nevada lead the way and thus 
inspire the nation by its example. 

“We are to receive during the next ten years many 
thousands of settlers from all parts of the Union. There 
is much to be done in preparing the way besides merely 
getting the water upon the land. For one thing, I would 
like to see Nevada adopt the most advanced methods of 
industrial education, so that our boys and girls may come 
forth from the schools fitted to make a living, if need be, 
from the soil. But this and many other new state policies 
that might be suggested must largely await the accomplish¬ 
ment of fundamental reforms calculated to increase the power 
of the people in dealing with their affairs. 

“I believe the time has come when we should supplement 
the revival of our mining and agricultural industries with 
the revival of political and civic ideas, and to this great 
work we should dedicate whatever we have of strength and 
capacity.” 

EXTENSION OF THE RECLAMATION WORK. 


When the Reclamation Act became a law, there was 
every reason to believe that the full development of all the 
available water resources had been provided for, in the pro¬ 
vision for the repayment of the cost of the works and the 
application of the money so repaid to new enterprises. This 
revolving fund was designed to insure the gradual but cer¬ 
tain development of all the feasible irrigation projects in the 
West. The selection of the Truckee-Carson project for the 
beginning of the work in Nevada was determined by the 
fact that it had a large body of public land available and few 
complicating circumstances; but so sanguine and so anxious 
was Mr. Newlands for the early extension of the work to 
other watersheds in the State that he requested and secured 
a survey of the Walker River and the setting aside of a fund 
of $200,000 for the construction of storage works, to be be¬ 
gun as soon as the litigation over the water rights on that 
river should; be settled. 

The undertaking of new projects has been delayed, in all 
other States to which the act applies as well as in Nevada, 
by a number of unforeseen circumstances. Among these is 
the constant increase in the cost of living and the necessity 
of buying on a rising market, which have resulted in the 
cost of the works greatly exceeding the original estimates. 
The settlers have found it difficult to meet these unexpected 
conditions, and with many of them it has proven impossible 
to make a living and keep up their payments. Instead of 
the original outlay being quickly returned, it has been neces¬ 
sary to extend the time for the payment for water rights 
from ten years to twenty and to make conditions easier for 
the settlers in other respects. One of the effects of these 
conditions was to compel the turning back of the fund set 



MATTERS OF INTEREST TO NEVADA 


67 


aside for the Walker River development into the general 
fund. 

Senator Newlands’ sympathies and aid went with the 
movement to make conditions easier for the settlers, but not 
with the proposed repeal of the provision requiring the re¬ 
payment of the cost of the works by the settlers. To do 
that would be to abandon the most essential feature of the 
Reclamation Act, and to bring the work, after the completion 
of the projects now under way, to a practical standstill, since 
any further development would depend upon future receipts 
from sales of public lands. This would mean, for Nevada, 
that the hope of national development on the Humboldt, the 
Walker, and the Upper Carson would have to be abandoned 
for many years, unless Mr. Newlands’ waterways program 
should meanwhile be carried out. Notwithstanding the ad¬ 
verse conditions, Mr. Newlands’ faith that these rivers would 
be developed has never wavered, and he has used every means 
within the power of a member of Congress to prevail upon 
the Service to begin the work. That he will ultimately suc¬ 
ceed there can be no doubt. 

It is, perhaps, not so generally understood as it ought to 
be, that the hardest work a Congressman does, and his great¬ 
est opportunity of usefulness, is in the committees. This is 
the place where the views of experts on public questions are 
heard, where bills are considered, drawn, amended, and rec¬ 
ommended for passage or otherwise. A large portion of the 
most important legislation originates in the committees and 
all of it passes the ordeal of the critical examination of the 
members. It is logical to expect, therefore, that a Senator’s 
greatest service to the cause of irrigation would lie in his 
committee work, and such has been the case with Senator 
Newlands. From the beginning of the Ffty-eighth Congress 
(November, 1903) to the beginning of the Sixty-third (April, 
1913), he was continuously a member of the Committee on 
Irrigation and Reclamation of Arid Lands, looking after the 
interests of the settlers and standing guard against the en¬ 
croachments of those who wished to turn the service over 
to political influences. Had the original reclamation act pro¬ 
vided for the payment of money from the public treasury, 
without reimbursement, it would never have passed. To ask 
too much would have been to get nothing, and that is still the 
situation. Nothing but the wise conservatism of men like 
Senator Newlands, who know the limits of achievement and 
confine their efforts to preserving what has been accom¬ 
plished, has prevented the wreck of the reclamation work, 
long ago, by a few who wished to turn it into a “pork barrel.” 

The suggestion has been made, by a gentleman who is 
evidently deplorably ignorant of public affairs, that Mr. New¬ 
lands should have taken the chairmanship of the Committee 
on Irrigation and Reclamation of Arid Lands, instead of tnat 
of the Committee on Interstate Commerce. He seems to be 
entirely unaware of the fact that the latter chairmanship is 
far more important than the former. The reason Senatoi 
Newlands gave up his membership in the Committee on Irn- 
gation and Reclamation of Arid Lands is as follows: During 
the Republican regime, it was the custom of the “elder states¬ 
men” to be members of a large number of the most impoitant 


68 


MATTERS OF INTEREST TO NEVADA 


committees, six, seven, or even eight at once. As time passed 
and they continued to hold these positions, they gradually 
became the ranking members, by reason of long service. It 
was not uncommon for one Senator to be the ranking mem¬ 
ber on three or four of the most important committees. When 
a bill has passed both Houses and requires the appointment 
of a committee on conference to reconcile the differences 
between them, the conferees are always selected from among 
the ranking members of the respective committees having 
jurisdiction of the subject matter. The result was that the 
choice of conferees was limited to a very few, who were thus 
able to dictate the country’s most important legislation. 
When the Democrat^ came into power, they were pledged to 
reform this abuse, among others. They immediately adopted 
a rule that each Senator entitled to be made chairman of an 
important committee must, before being so appointed, resign 
his membership of other important committees and devote 
his time to the work of the committee of which he was chair¬ 
man. By this means, not only was the vicious abuse of seni¬ 
ority privilege corrected, but Senators were relieved from the 
distractions caused by conflicting meetings of too many com¬ 
mittees, and better public service was the result. Mr. New- 
lands, of course, was heartily in sympathy with this reform 
and cheerfully resigned all his important committee assign¬ 
ments in order to become chairman of the exceedingly power¬ 
ful committee on Interstate Commerce. His place upon the 
Irrigation Committee was filled by the appointment of Senator 
Pittman; so that the Nevada irrigators have not lost a cham¬ 
pion in that position. 

Special attention is invited to the! following letter from 
Mr. F. H. Newell, Chief of the Reclamation Service, giving 
his estimate of the importance of Mr. Newlands’ work in the 
cause of irrigation to Nevada and the entire West. 

Department of the Interior, 

United States Reclamation Service, 
Washington, D. C., September 19, 1914. 
Office of the Director. 

My Dear Senator: With reference to the future develop¬ 
ment of Nevada by means of irrigation, I wish first to express 
my appreciation of your unflagging efforts for the public good. 
Just now we are considering carefully the estimates of cost 
of work for next year to be presented to Congress. As you 
are aware, under the law of August 13, 1914, the Reclamation 
fund is now no longer at the disposal of the Secretary of the 
Interior but must be allotted by Congress; therefore, we must 
arrange our estimates for consideration by a committee com¬ 
posed mainly of eastern men who have little knowledge or 
interest in the subject. This makes it particularly difficult 
to present the needs of the West in a convincing manner. We 
need all of the aid which you can give through your many 
years of experience, not only to keep what we have but to 
utilize the fund in the best way for the general welfare. 

There are probably few persons who know and esteem 
as thoroughly as I do the great work which you have done for 
your State and for the West in general. I have been par¬ 
ticularly struck with this lately in looking over certain rec- 


MATTERS OF INTEREST TO NEVADA 


69 


ords, where I have found the publication which you had 
printed at your own expense many years ago showing the 
opportunities for development in Nevada. This early work 
by you was probably the foundation for much good work 
that has resulted. 

I have brought together recently the various bills which 
you introduced in Congress and which laid the foundation for 
the Reclamation Act of June 17, 1902. This law, termed in 
our reports as the “Newlands Act,” has been so far over¬ 
shadowed, however, by your more recent bills covering all 
the water problems of the country that we have rather 
dropped the name “Newlands Act” because of the resulting 
confusion with the more widely known measures yet to be 
enacted, commonly called throughout the United States the 
“Newlands Bill.” It is probable that when the now pending 
Newlands bill is enacted many of the difficulties which now 
confront us will be removed and there will be adequate funds 
for carrying forward the work which has been so successfully 
begun. Until that is done, there is the greatest possible need 
of your continued activity and energy in pushing forward the 
plans which have been worked out for extending the opera¬ 
tions in Nevada and in keeping them on a sound basis for the 
benefit of the commonwealth. 

In particular, I hope you will have the further active 
assistance of Mr. Emmet D. Boyle, who while state engineer 
put such interest in the work and whose clear vision of the 
possibilities of Nevada development have been of great assist¬ 
ance in bringing about consideration of these larger plans. 
We have need now, more than ever before, of a good effective 
cooperation between the state and national governments. With 
the experience obtained in the past, I believe it can be accom¬ 
plished if we still have the active support of Mr. Boyle and 
yourself. 

In short, to sum up the situation in Nevada and else¬ 
where, irrigation development by private enterprise is prac¬ 
tically stagnant. If we are to continue the progress in irri¬ 
gation it must be as the result of still greater activity on the 
part of the public-spirited men. notably in cooperation with 
the state, also in presenting to the appropriate committees 
in Congress the needs of the West in such way that these 
will be thoroughly appreciated. This can be done, of course, 
in an effective way only by men like yourself who have been 
through the intricacies of the work and who thoroughly under¬ 
stand and can explain, as you have frequently done, the 
peculiar situations which confront western development. In 
this connection, I have in mind particularly the statement 
which you made on May 17, 1913, before the Secretary of 
the Interior in presenting the needs of the State. A discus¬ 
sion of this kind brought to the attention of the Members 
of the Approoriations Committee and enforced by your per¬ 
sonal presence will I think go a long way toward securing 
the necessary action in the apportionment of the Reclama¬ 
tion fund available for still further work. 

This further appropriation and work is of the highest im¬ 
portance in order to bring to completion the construction not 
only on the Truckee-Carson project within the areas already 
outlined, but also to utilize still further the resources of this 


70 


MATTERS OF INTEREST TO NEVADA 


state as contained in the waters of Humboldt and Walker 
Rivers. There is, I know, little need of calling this to your 
attention because of the continual insistence upon your part 
of the necessity of taking up work on these rivers at an early 
date. It has been impossible for us, with the funds avail¬ 
able, to do more than we have done, but we have not over¬ 
looked the great opportunities and hope that with your con¬ 
tinued assistance, it will be possible to continue. 

Cordially your$, 

F. H. NEWELL, Director. 

Hon. Francis G. Newlands, 

United States Senate. 


CALENDAR OF MR. NEWLANDS’ WORK ON A FEW MAT¬ 
TERS OF SPECIAL INTEREST TO NEVADA. 


(Besides the following, the reader is referred to the record 
under the heading of “Irrigation.”) 


1890. 

August —. Address to the People of Nevada on Water Stor¬ 
age and Irrigation; a document full of valuable 
information. 

1893. 

Dec. 13. Remarks in House in defense of Nevada. 

26—1—210. 

1894. 

Jan. 29. Remarks in House on protection of Nevada in¬ 
dustries. 

26—2—1485. 

1896. 

Jan. 30. Introduced a bill to erect a public building at 
Reno. 


1897. 

April 22. Introduced a bill for same purpose. 

Dec. 17. Amendment and remarks in House, Carson Mint. 

31—1—278. 

1898. 

July 6. Remarks in House on Central Pacific Funding 
Bill. 

31—8—Supp.—75. 

1899. 

Dec. 8. Introduced bill to increase pension of Jeremiah B. 

Moore; passed, and approved by the President 
May 14, 1900. 

Dec. 19. Introduced bill to erect a public building in Reno. 

Dec. 19. Introduced bill directing Secretary of Interior to 

make surveys and estimates of cost of erecting 
irrigation reservoirs in Nevada. 

1900. 

Feb. 13. Introduced bill to pay Indian war claims of 
Nevada. 




MATTERS OF INTEREST TO NEVADA 


71 


Feb. 17. 

Mar. 8. 
May 4. 

May 17. 

June 6. 

1901. 
Jan. 15. 

Dec. 2. 

Dec. 10. 

Dec. 13. 

1902. 
Jan. 21. 

Feb. 5. 

Feb. 6. 

Apr. 26. 

July 24. 

Aug. 8. 
Aug. 15. 

1903. 
Jan. 30. 


Offered in House an amendment to the Appro¬ 
priation Bill, to increase salary of Surveyor- 
General of Nevada. 

Introduced bill to increase salary of U. S. Dep¬ 
uty Marshal for the District of Nevada. 

In the Sundry Civil Appropriation Bill, Nevada 
land surveys omitted, but restored on Mr. New- 
lands’ motion. 

Offered in House an amendment to the Rivers and 
Harbors Bill, for survey and estimate of cost 
of improving the Colorado River between El 
Dorado Canyon and Rioville, Nevada. 

Remarks in House on Nevada War claims. 

33—8—6826. 


Introduced bill to construct two reservoirs on 
Humboldt River, Nevada. 

Introduced bill to construct reservoirs, canals, 
etc., for irrigation of arid lands in Nevada. 
Introduced bill to pay Indian war claims of citi¬ 
zens of Nevada. 

Introduced bill to erect a public building at Reno. 


Introduced in House a bill appropriating the re¬ 
ceipts from the sale and disposal of public 
lands in certain States and Territories to the 
construction of irrigation works for the recla¬ 
mation of arid lands. This is the well-known 
“Newlands Act,” which was passed by Congress 
and approved by the President June 17, 1902, 
and under which the work of reclaiming the 
arid lands is now being carried on. 

Introduced a resolution to credit the State of 
Nevada with military supplies furnished in War 
with Spain. 

Amendment and remarks in Senate on Carson 
Mint. 

35—2—1424-5. 

Omnibus Building Bill introduced, containing ap¬ 
propriation for Reno Federal building, which 
was passed and approved by the President on 
June 6, 1902. 

Letter to Director of Geological Survey, urging- 
completion of study of Walker, Muddy, and Vir¬ 
gin Rivers. 

Letter to same, about work on Truckee, Humboldt, 
and Carson Rivers. 

Letter from Director of Geological Survey, in re¬ 
ply to above. 

Statement before Ways and Means Committee of 
Nevada State Legislature on tax reduction. 


72 


MATTERS OF INTEREST TO NEVADA 


Dec. 9. 

1904. 
Mar. 8. 

Sept. 29. 

Oct., Nov., 

Oct. 30. 

1905. 
Jan. 4. 

Jan. 12. 

Jan. 17 

Jan. 21. 

1907. 
Feb. 5. 

1908. 
Jan. 23. 

Feb. 29. 

April 21. 

May 21. 

1909. 
Sept. 29. 

1910. 
May 6. 


Introduced a bill to pension P. J. Conway; passed, 
and signed by the President Feb. 29, 1904. 

Introduced a bill to pension John Taylor; passed, 
and signed by the President April 21, 1904. 

Letter to Secretary of Interior about works on the 
Walker River. 

Correspondence with Miller & Lux about Walker 
River water rights, issued as pamphlet. 

Letter to Chief Hydrographer of Geological Sur¬ 
vey, same subject. 

Introduced a bill to pension Charles Norris; 
passed, and approved by the President Feb. 23, 
1905. 

Letter from A. P. Davis, J. H. Quinton, and L. H. 
Taylor, Board of Engineers, to Chief Engineer 
of Geological Survey, reporting $200,000 as the 
estimated cost of storage works on Walker 
River and favoring the project, suggesting for¬ 
mation of water users’ association, etc. 

Letter from Secretary of Interior about same; 
$200,000 set aside as fund for work on Walker 
River, and lands withdrawn from entry, etc. 

Letter to Secretary of Interior about same subject. 

Remarks in Senate on allotment of lands to In¬ 
dians. 

41-3—2267-8. 

Letter from J. R. Van Nagell, Assistant State En¬ 
gineer, announcing settlement of disputed water 
rights on Walker River; accompanied by 
printed report by Thurtell and Van Nagell. 

Letter from Director of Reclamation Service, stat¬ 
ing that fund for Walker River was no longer 
available and service not in position to under¬ 
take the project. 

Petition from R. H. Cowles, Wadsworth, Nevada, 
to Secretary of Interior, for renewal of work 
on the Pyramid Branch, presented to Secretary. 

Letter from Director; not practicable to under¬ 
take the Pyramid Branch project at present. 

Report on the Walker River Basin by D. W. Hays, 
of the Reclamation Service, and findings of 
State Engineer on the water rights. 

Introduced S. 2276, to pension Paul De Chaine, of 
Nevada. (Became a law June 17, 1910.) Mr. 
De Chaine is dead, and Mr. Newlands has re¬ 
cently introduced a bill (S. 6537) to increase 
Mrs. De Chaine’s pension. 


MATTERS OF INTEREST TO NEVADA 


73 


May 16. 


May 21. 
May 31. 

1911. 
Jan. 11. 

Jan. 27. 


1912. 
Aug. 31. 


Nov.-Dee. 


1913. 
Feb. 26. 


April 9. 


May 17. 


May 19. 


Letter from B. V. Thralls, chairman Land Owners’ 
Association, Wellington, Nev., urging that 
Walker River project be taken up. 

Letter to Secretary of Interior on the subject. 

Letter from Secretary of Interior; no probability 
of work being taken up. 


Letter to Director of Geolgical Survey, about re¬ 
ports on Nevada rivers. 

Introduced S. 10515, to grant a pension to John S. 
Cilley, of Carson City; passed and became a 
law Mar. 1, 1912. 

Resolution of water users and land owners of 
Carson Valley; presented to Interior Dept, and 
urged by Mr. Newlands. This resulted in the 
investigation being undertaken. It was com¬ 
pleted early in 1914, showing the feasibility 
of the work. 

Helped to inaugurate the movement which re¬ 
sulted in the organization of the Nevada State 
Tax Commission. 

Letter from Director of Reclamation Service, 
urging that State cooperate with the Service by 
sharing the cost of surveys of the Humboldt 
River Basin. 

Introduced S. 671, to grant to the State of Nevada 
500,000 acres of land for the benefit of the 
State University. 

Mr. Newlands, who had been attending the con¬ 
ference between Secretary of the Interior Lane 
and the representatives of the water users 
under irrigation projects, and taking part in 
the proceedings, made a statement before the 
conference in which he outlined the resources 
of the Nevada rivers and urged the extension 
of the work. 

Letter from Director of Reclamation Service fur¬ 
ther urging State cooperation. Mr. Newlands’ 
reply, on May 24th, is of sufficient importance 
to justify its reproduction here: 

“In reply to your letter of May 19th, I have to 
say that I think the policy of cooperation, such 
as you have referred to, is desirable, but I do 
not think that Nevada can contribute very 
much in the way of funds. As is likely to be 
the case, the State which requires government 
aid the most will be the one which has the 
least money to put in either investigation or 
construction. I regard Nevada as the one State 
of the Union whose public lands should have 
elicited more of the attention and developing 
work of the Government than any other State. 


74 


MATTERS OF INTEREST TO NEVADA 


May 23. 

Sept. 25. 

Oct. 1. 

1914. 
Feb. 2. 

Feb. 12. 
Feb. 24. 
Mar. 21. 

June 11-15. 


Aug. 3. 


She has been the neglected sister of the Union, 
and has beo'x the victim of a transportation 
system whose whole policy was to drift the 
transportation to another competing line, and 
thus her railroads have not been made the 
pioneers of development. It seems to me that 
Nevada appeals peculiarly to the National Gov¬ 
ernment for substantial expenditures, with the 
assurance, of course, that these expenditures 
will later on be paid back, according to the 
terms of the Reclamation Act. 

Letter to Secretary of the Interior, with a de¬ 
tailed statement of the resources and condi¬ 
tions on the Humboldt River, calling attention 
to the work of E. C. McClellan, of Elko, in 
organizing the land owners on that river, and 
asking an investigation. 

Introduced S. 3139, to increase the pension of 
John Thompson, of Goldfield, Nevada. Passed 
and became a law May 15, 1914. 

Introduced S. 3167, to increase the pension of 
Mary Kennedy; passed and became a law Aug. 
14, 1914. 

Introduced S. 4297 for the relief of John Glanz- 
mann et al.; pending. (This is an important 
bill; see the file on labor.) 

Introduced S. 4473, to provide homes for the 
Washoe Indians. 

Introduced S. 4595, to construct a hospital or 
sanitarium for the Indians of Nevada, etc. 

Introduced S. 5042, legalizing certain conveyances 
heretofore made by the Central Pacific Rail¬ 
way and others within the State of Nevada. 
Passed the Senate July 9. 

Telegraphic correspondence with Governor Od- 
die about work in Carson Valley. He was in¬ 
formed that no new bill was necessary, and 
Reclamation Service had authority to do work 
but no funds. Hoped passage of bill to ex¬ 
tend time of payment by settlers on Truckee- 
Carson would make it possible to secure loan 
of money to complete that project and thus re¬ 
lease funds for new work. Importance of 
Carson Valiev fully appreciated and it will be 
among first vork undertaken when Service is 
in condition to extend its operations. 

Introduced S. 6207, for the relief of Storey County, 
Nevada. This bill calls for the payment of 
$1,702.33 for the care of Federal prisoners in 
the Storey County jail. A larger sum is due 
the county, but it was rejected by the De¬ 
partment of Justice upon a technicality. 


CHARGES OF ABSENTEEISM 


75 


CHARGES OF ABSENTEEISM 


Because Mr. Newlands came to Nevada from California, 
there are a few who seem unable to persuade themselves 
that he is a bona fide resident, although he has lived in 
Nevada twenty-six years. In the campaign of 1908, he made 
the following statement: 

“In order to meet fully the falsehoods which are con¬ 
stantly being circulated regarding my residence in this State, 
I have to say that I became a resident of Nevada 20 years 
ago, that I immediately identified myself with matters relat¬ 
ing to the development of the State, feeling that Nevada re¬ 
quired not simply a one-sided mining development but a de¬ 
velopment of all its interests, agricultural, mineral, com¬ 
mercial and industrial. 

“Upon my removal to Nevada in 1888, I sold my home in 
San Francisco and have never since had a home there. I 
gradually gave up all active participation in the manage¬ 
ment of the Sharon estate properties there. My trusteeship 
of the Sharon estate expired more than 10 years ago. Later 
I gradually withdrew from the directorate of the properties 
there in which the Sharon estate was interested. About 18 
years ago I built my present home on the banks of the 
Truckee, near Reno, reclaiming from the desert a consider¬ 
able arable area of land. This has been my home ever 
since and is now. 

“My occasional visits to San Francisco during the sum¬ 
mer months were for recreation or business and rarely lasted 
more than a week or two at a time. From the time that I 
took up my residence in Nevada my investments here con¬ 
stantly increased, whilst my investments elsewhere were di¬ 
minished. I have remained in Washington only during the 
sessions of Congress, going there when Congress convened 
and leaving Washington as soon as Congress adjourned and 
returning to Nevada to occupy my hcfnie near Reno. 

“During my 20 years’ residence here I have taken two 
trips abroad and one trip to the Philippine Islands. During 
the summers in which these trips were taken i spent a 
part of the time at my home near Reno. When I under¬ 
took the public trust of representing Nevada in the House 
and later in the Senate, I determined to cut myself loose 
from all business which would interfere with the discharge 
of my public duties.” 

Since that time, Senator Newlands has made one brief 
trip to Europe, to visit his daughter and grandchildren. 
There are few Senators who spend as litte time abroad as 
Mr. Newlands does. 

It is a matter of common knowledge, and ought not to 
require extended statement, that the work of Congress has 
of late years increased so enormously that the members are 
overworked and the sessions have become almost continuous. 
Prior to the Sixty-first Congress, only three Congresses out 
of eight during Mr. Newlands’ service had more than two 
sessions; since the Sixty-first Congiess, all ha\e had thiee 



76 


CHARGES OF ABSENTEEISM 


sessions each and the length of the sessions has greatly in¬ 
creased. The Sixty-first Congress, from March, 1909, to 
March, 1911, was in session 441 days; the Sixty-second, from 
April, 1911, to March, 1913, 500 days, and the Sixty-third, 
from April, 1913, to October 15, 1914, 572 days. This is a 
total of a little more than four years’ continuous session in 
a period of five years and eleven months. It will be seen 
how little time a Senator can spend at his home, under such 
conditions, if he attends to his public duties; and every one 
who knows Mr. Newlands is aware that he is one of the most 
industrious and conscientious of public servants. The rem¬ 
edy lies in the adoption of Mr. Newlands’ proposed legislative 
program for speeding up the work of Congress; but until 
that shall come to pass, the Senator from Nevada, whoever 
he may be, will have to choose between spending more than 
two-thirds of his time in Washington and neglecting his 
duties. 


SEN. NEWLANDS’ STANDING OUTSIDE NEVADA 77 

SENATOR NEWLANDS’ STANDING 
OUTSIDE OF NEVADA 


\ ei y often a prophet is not without honor save in his 
own country”; and while this is not true of Mr. Newlands, 
it is interesting to consider briefly what is the opinion of 
his abilities and of the value of his public services, outside 
of Nevada. A few extracts, selected from a large number 
will serve to illustrate the point. 

A FEW NEWSPAPER EXTRACTS. 

He has done things and represents definite policies. 

—Palo Alto (Cal.) Times. 

Of the politicians who addressed the Drainage Congress, 
Senator Newlands, of Nevada, was by far the most polished 
and fluent speaker. 

—Baltimore American. 

Of all the men that have been honored by the West, 
Francis G. Newlands, of Nevada, has shown the most sub¬ 
stantial returns to his country. He is all the call says he is 
and more. 

—Colusa (Cal.) Sun. 

The Call extends the hand of fellowship and affectionate 
regard to Senator Newlands on his promotion to the ranks 
of the “mentioned.” * * * ' * * Francis G. Newlands is 
indeed very much of a man, broad-minded, liberal, enlight¬ 
ened, progressive. 

—San Francisco Call. 

If the Tocsin were asked to pick the coming man in the 
Democratic party, we should have no hesitation in naming 
Hon. Francis G. Newlands as the most likely Moses to lead 
it out of the desert to the promised land. 

—Marin County (Cal.) Tocsin. 

Personally, Mr. Newlands is a magnetic man, direct and 
frank in his manner, cordial in his address, and in the true 
sense of the word, a gentleman. He has been spoken of as 
a possible Democratic candidate for the Presidency. 

—Springfield (Mass.) Union. 

If, in the providence of the Lord or the dispensations of 
the devil, a Democratic President is to be inflicted upon the 
land, the country would suffer less under Newlands than any 
other candidate named, for he is honest and patriotic and 
learned and as much of a statesman as it is possible for a 
mere Democrat to be. 

—Los Angeles Times. 

Senator Newlands is to the Democratic party what Roose¬ 
velt is to the Republican, a leader who really leads, not one 
who aims merely to keep ^ little in advance, but fearful 
of getting out of touch with his following. Were the Demo- 



78 SEN. NEWLANDS’ STANDING OUTSIDE NEVADA 


crats seeking a real leader they would turn to Newlands as 
naturally and inevitably as progressive Republicans have 
turned to Roosevelt or La Follette. 

—Sioux City (Iowa) Tribune. 

Curious to know what so big and modest a man is like 
I eagerly availed myself of an opportunity to meet Senator 
Newlands at lunch recently. The secret of why he is known 
by his work alone, speaking broadly, is revealed in the first 
five minutes of acquaintance. He is a man who never saw a 
press agent, and would not know one if he met him. He is 
not a man to slap one on the back, nor one to whom the most 
genial mixer would think of paying that attention. Yet he is 
affable, a charming companion, in fact, but rather of the 
old school, which preserves a preference for good manners 
under all circumstances. 

—Pittsburgh (Pa.) Post. 

The Nevada Legislature has not only reelected Senator 
Francis G. Newlands for another term but has offered him 
to the national Democracy as a candidate for president in 
1912. This is looking a long way ahead, says Walter Well¬ 
man in the Record-Herald, but the Democratic party might 
well take the suggestion under consideration. By that time 
Mr. Newlands will have had nearly twenty years of con¬ 
tinuous service in Congress—ten in the House and nine in 
the Senate. He has grown rapidly in the esteem of his asso¬ 
ciates here of both parties. He is now generally recognized 
as one of the ablest of all the Democratic Senators and is 
noted for his sterling common sense and his devotion to 
the cause of progress and of constructive legislation. 

—Lexington (Ky.) Leader. 

Because of contrast one figure of the (Waterways) con¬ 
ference stands out strikingly before our eyes. Senator New¬ 
lands, of Nevada, comes from an arid State, where a teacup¬ 
ful of water that does not come from melting mountain snow 
or an artesian well, is a far greater rarity than a nugget of 
pure gold that means fortune. Yet no citizen of Boston, Nor¬ 
folk, or Philadelphia was an abler and more eager advocate 
of our seaboard development than this statesman of the un¬ 
watered West, who asks in return only our advocacy of the 
national system of irrigation that will make his deserts 
bloom. 

We wonder if it has occurred to our Eastern Senators 
that it is a reflection upon their claims to statesmanship that 
every Atlantic State today gives grateful acknowledgment 
of the broad patriotism of this Nevadan? We wonder if they 
feel the sting of the truth that Pennsylvanians heard more 
in behalf of their waterways in a day from Newlands than 
they have heard from their own Senators in forty years? 

—Philadelphia North American. 

United States Senator Francis G. Newlands, of Nevada, 
is one of the few Senators who has consistently and faith¬ 
fully served the people. He is now a candidate for reelection, 
and the electorate of Nevada will do its duty to itself and 
the nation by returning Senator Newlands to Washington. 


SEN. NEWLANDS’ STANDING OUTSIDE NEVADA 79 

During the six years he has been in the Senate, and 
for twelve years in the House of Representatives, Francis 
G. Newlands stood fearlessly and steadfastly for the rights 
of the plain people. His record is the best; his statesman¬ 
ship of the highest type. Studious and scholarly, masterful in 
debate, it was said of him by Julian Hawthorne in the days 
when the railroad rate question was under consideration: 
“Senator Newlands is the one Senator who lifted the question 
from mediocrity and financial politics to the plane of states¬ 
manship.” 

The Bulletin is advised by statesmen and students who 
watch the trend of affairs in this Republic that Senator 
Newlands has always voted right on legislation affecting 
the interests of the people; he has never been a narrow and 
captious partisan, never placing party interest above the 
national welfare. 

It is in progressive and constructive lines that the Senior 
Nevadan has taken the lead. He originated the reclamation 
laws under which the arid regions of the West have been de¬ 
veloping at rapid stride; he was first to advocate the national 
incorporation of railroads, the policy now of President Roose¬ 
velt. Besides his constant attendance upon the Senate, he 
has become the leader in the inland waterways movement, 
the accepted solution for relieving railroad transportation 
congestion. 

Senator Newlands earnestly seeks to make Nevada a 
model State, and in working out this desire he has proposed 
the most progressive legislation, the referendum, the recall, 
the initiative, direct taxation, and other reforms that a few 
years ago were considered ultra radical. 

Senator Newlands should be the unanimous choice of the 
people of Nevada—his reelection would be a distinct benefit 
to the nation. More Senators of the Newlands sort are 
needed. 

—San Francisco Bulletin. 

We wish ***** that Newlands of Nevada, 
would receive at least the complimentary vote for President 
of the delegation to the National Convention from California. 
He deserves it. He has earned it “by his works.” 

—San Francisco Star. 

Mr. Newlands, though a man of wealth, has been a per¬ 
sistent radical in his public career, which has been long and 
notable, both in the House and in the Senate. * * * * * 

He is a student of the difl&cult questions of interstate com¬ 
merce and trusts, and the author of many bills which, seem¬ 
ingly extremely advanced when they were introduced, have 
been vindicated by the passage of time and the forward 
movement of public opinion. He is the Nestor, in point of 
service, among the radical Democratic Senators. 

—Judson C. Welliver in Munsey’s Magazine. 

In inscribing his work, “Constructive Democracy” (Mac¬ 
millan Co., 1905) to Senator Francis G. Newlands, Mr. Wil¬ 
liam E. Smythe wrote: 

“To Francis G. Newlands, whose gift of constructive 
statesmanship found expression in the Newlands Irrigation 


80 SEN. NEWLANDS’ STANDING OUTSIDE NEVADA 


Bill of January 26, 1901, the principles of which became 
effective in the National Reclamation Act and are now being 
engraved upon the face of the enduring earth; and whose 
proposed measures of railroad legislation contain the germ 
of the scientific solution of the larger problems of industrial 
monopoly—this book is dedicated.” 

WHAT TWO MEMBERS OF THE CABINET THINK OF 
SENATOR NEWLANDS. 


Vigorous Expressions from the Secretaries of State and 

I nterior. 


The following is an editorial which appeared in The 
Commoner, over Mr. Bryan’s signature, in the September, 
1914, number: 


SENATOR NEWLANDS. 

In the candidacy of Senator Newlands for reelection the 
people of Nevada have a rare opportunity to demonstrate 
their desire to support the administration, their loyalty to 
democratic principles, often tried and never found wanting, 
and their disposition to recognize long and able service. The 
public work of Mr. Newlands forms a record of which the 
party is justly proud. 

He was a leader in the campaign for the national control 
of irrigation development in the west and author of the law 
bearing his name. He has always been an earnest and con¬ 
sistent friend of the settlers under the reclamation projects. 

Senator Newlands has recently added to his record a sig¬ 
nal achievement in carrying out a part of the administration’s 
program for the regulation of trusts. Always a progressive, 
he has been a leader of thought on this subject, upon the 
soundest lines. The federal trade commission act recently 
passed by congress contains every essential feature of a bill 
introduced by him more than three years ago. It is a singu¬ 
larly happy circumstance that the chairman of the senate 
committee entrusted with this important legislation should 
be the man who had been the pioneer in that field of thought. 
In conducting this legislation Mr. Newlands showed ability of 
the very highest order. His committee brought out a bill 
which was a model of well-considered, carefully-drawn legisla¬ 
tion; and he piloted it safely through much opposition in 
the senate, and secured its passage in a form not weakened, 
but strengthened and improved. The passage of this act is 
one of the most important achievements of President Wilson’s 
administration, and the work of the commission is expected 
to mark a new epoch in the effective regulation of trusts. 

Mr. Newlands was a pioneer in advocating the forma¬ 
tion of a reserve board system for the reform of our bank¬ 
ing laws. In this he anticipated the national monetary com¬ 
mission. He was the first democrat in congress to bring 
out a definite proposal for a democratic program of banking 
reform in opposition to the Aldrich plan. The work of fram¬ 
ing this important legislation fell to other hands, but this 




SEN. NEWLANDS’ STANDING OUTSIDE NEVADA 81 


does not alter the fact that he anticipated, in the main, the 
most important features of the legislation which was finally 
passed. 

Senator Newlands is a consistent friend of the working 
man and has an unbroken record of having supported all the 
reasonable demands of organized labor. He was active and 
effective in the legislation for the eight-hour law, for the 
benefit of railroad telegraphers, for automatic couplers and 
other safety appliances on railroads, for the employers’ lia¬ 
bility bill, and other similar legislation. 

His most valuable contribution to the cause of industrial 
peace was last year, when, as chairman of the senate com¬ 
mittee on interstate commerce, he introduced and expedited 
the passage of a bill in time to prevent a most disastrous 
railroad strike on the lines east of the Mississippi river. 
This legislation, generally known as the “Newlands Arbitra¬ 
tion Act,” is the most important step which has been taken 
in this country for the peaceful adjustment of labor disputes. 
It has already prevented many railroad strikes, the most 
recent instance of which is the arbitration of the threatened 
strike of Southern Pacific employees—a matter in which the 
people of Nevada are deeply and directly interested. Sena¬ 
tor Newlands is entitled to be considered a benefactor of 
the whole country for his efficient services in this matter. 

The most recent service to the cause of free labor per¬ 
formed by Senator Newlands was the favorable reporting by 
his committee of a bill to limit the interstate character of 
goods made by convict labor. The effect of this legislation, 
when passed, will be to reduce the competition of such goods 
with the products of free labor. 

Mr* Newlands belongs to that class of men who, hav¬ 
ing imagination and the constructive faculty largely devel¬ 
oped, are often in advance of their times; but he has had 
the good fortune to see many of his ideas enacted into law 
and others on the highroad to enactment, thus proving his 
claim to practical constructive statesmanship. He has been 
an earnest advocate of a legislative program, to be formu¬ 
lated at the beginning of each session, to put the work of 
Congress upon a more orderly footing, and thus reduce the 
length of its sessions. He is a leader in the propaganda for 
the scientific co-ordination of the work of river regulation 
and flood reduction, by putting the work upon a national, in¬ 
stead of a local, footing. His efforts along this line, long 
continued under the most discouraging circumstances, have 
recently received the approval of the secietaries of var, in¬ 
terior, agriculture, and commerce, and have been adopted by 
the administration as a part of its program for the neai fu¬ 
ture He is a believer in the upbuilding of a well-proportioned 
navy by the construction of auxiliary ships in proportion to 
the battleship fleet, so that in case of war we will not be 
dependent upon the buying of boats for scouting and othei 
similar duty. This plan has the approval of the present sec¬ 


retary of the navy. „ . , 

Senator Newlands has long been a national figure, but 
it is only since the democratic party came into power that 
he is beginning to see the ideas for which he has so long con¬ 
tended carried into effect. He is popular in Washington, and 


82 SEN. NEWLANDS’ STANDING OUTSIDE NEVADA 


occupies a position of power and influence there. The fact 
that he had no opposition at the primaries for the democratic 
nomination for senator is a cause for congratulation. That 
Nevada should send anyone else to the senate now, after the 
services which Mr. Newlands has rendered to the state, the 
party, and the country, is unthinkable. The Commoner earn¬ 
estly commends Senator Newlands, not only to all the demo¬ 
crats of Nevada, but to members of all parties. The nation 
can not afford to lose the services of such a public servant. 

W. J. BRYAN. 

The entire West knows and loves the Secretary of the 
Interior, Hon. Franklin K. Lane. Here is his letter to Mr. 
Newlands on the subject of his candidacy: 

Office of the Secretary of the Interior, 

Washington, September 28, 1914. 

My Dear Senator: I am sorry not to have seen you again 
before your trip west. Everyone here is solicitous for your 
success. Surely the people of Nevada appreciate the dis¬ 
tinction that you have given to 1 the State and will give you 
an overwhelming vote of confidence. I wish that it were in 
my power to speak a word directly to your people setting 
forth the service to progressive democracy that you have ren¬ 
dered since I have been in Washington. You have been pre¬ 
eminent among those fighting to make this Government truly 
sympathetic with the interests of the mass of our people. 
I hope to see the country give the President a hearty vote 
of endorsement this year, and the only way by which such 
vote can be given is to return such men as yourself to his 
support. • 

Cordially yours, 

FRANKLIN K. LANE. 

Hon. Francis G. Newlands, 

United States Senate. 


UTTERANCES OF THE PRESENT CAMPAIGN 


83 


UTTERANCES OF THE PRESENT 
CAMPAIGN 


(Senator Newlands’ speech, at Carson City, Sept. 30, 
1914.) 

Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen: The hour is late 
and I do not think that I should detain you. The size of this 
audience is a surprise to me. It is the best audience that I 
have witnessed in this city for many years. It evinces the 
interest of the people in this election. It shows the interest 
of these people in the fact that they themselves have, at a 
primary election, nominated their own candidates. And they 
show an interest in public affairs such as they have never 
shown before for that reason. 

Direct Primary. 

The direct primary has been vindicated, not only by 
the interest shown by the people in it, and in the tickets se¬ 
lected at it, but in the character of the men who have been 
chosen by the people themselves, and who have not been 
chosen for them by conventions and machine organizations. 
I should like to say something of the candidates who have 
been presented to you. All of them, I believe, have had some 
experience in the public service. And the very fact that such 
men commencing in humble positions in the public service 
are now selected as a result of popular choice for higher 
positions indicates that the people know what good service is 
and intend to reward it. (Applause.) 

I would gladly review the public service of all these 
candidates, but time will not permit. I can only say that no 
mistake was made by the Democracy of Nevada in the selec¬ 
tion of Emmet Boyle as their candidate for governor. (Ap¬ 
plause.) 

We have all had our eyes on him for years as a student 
in the university, where he indicated character and promise; 
as state engineer, where he was charged with peculiar duties 
of a high character, requiring not only scientific and engi¬ 
neering capacity, but judicial qualities in the settlement of 
disputes between the owners of water rights. In that office 
he not only acquired an intimate knowledge of the resources 
of the state, particularly that most valuable asset of the 
state—the water that flows in our rivers, but he also showed 
those high administrative and judicial qualities which fit him 
for advancement. And we have seen him again upon the Tax 
Commission, engaged in intricate and abtruse questions of tax 
reform, addressing himself with intelligence and information, 
not only to theoretical but practical questions relating to the 
raising and the expenditure of revenue—these two questions 
embracing almost everything that belongs to government. 
What better training could a young man have for the public 
service in the position of governor than this? And the Dem¬ 
ocracy of this State have been quick to recognize it. 



84 UTTERANCES OF THE PRESENT CAMPAIGN 


But, my friends, I am sure you will want to hdar some¬ 
thing from me regarding national matters. I wish I could 
go into these matters fully because we are living in an era 
of great interest. So far as I am concerned, I think my 
twenty-two years of public life have been spent in a period of 
peculiar significance and interest, and that the man who has 
had the opportunity of serving the public as I have in the 
House of Representatives and in the Senate of the United 
States, during the last twenty-two years has been privileged 
indeed. 


The New Administration. 

About two years ago we ushered in a complete Democratic 
administration; for the first time in many years, under the 
leadership of a man, who, with little experience in public 
life, had yet become a national voice, expressive of the hopes 
and the aspirations of the Democratic party. That voice has 
since spoken to the world, and it has become a voice of a 
strong and powerful leader, pre-eminent among the poten¬ 
tates of the world; and it is universally recognized today 
that the restoration of the world’s peace will finally depend 
upon his mediation. He entered upon that high office with 
the full confidence of his party, and I may say the full confi¬ 
dence of the country. With a courage that was remarkable 
under the conditions when you consider the fact that he had 
no experience in public life except for a short time as the 
governor of New Jersey, he immediately assumed the lead¬ 
ership of his party. He was not modest about it, nor was 
he immodest about it; he simply realized that the people of 
the United States had selected him as their leader and that 
the Democratic party as the instrumentality of the people 
of the United States had selected him as their leader; and he 
assumed leadership. It has been a dignified, logical, per¬ 
suasive leadership. Not the leadership that the press de¬ 
scribed—the leadership of a man who cracks his whip over 
a shrinking and crouching congress.' It has been the leader¬ 
ship of intellectual strength pre-eminent, of a man willing to 
reason, willing to persuade, conscious of the right to differ¬ 
ence of opinion, and yet insisting that party action depends 
upon party solidarity, and that in the end, after full discus¬ 
sion, the average man must yield to the composite judgment 
of his party. The papers present him as a tyrant, laying 
down his will to congress. We who are there and share in 
his counsels know how laborious he is in reaching a conclu¬ 
sion, how patient and considerate he is of others, how he 
exhausts the opinions of the leaders of the party before he 
comes to a conclusion and how he comes to a conclusion 
only when he is satisfied that the average judgment of the 
party sustains him. Then he stands firm because as the 
leader having taken his position, upon reflection and judg¬ 
ment, and after others have adjusted themselves to his con¬ 
victions, he must not lightly yield them, good faith to those 
who have finally shared his views requiring that he should 
be firm and consistent. It is such a man that we have in the 
presidency of the United States. 


UTTERANCES OF THE PRESENT CAMPAIGN 85 


The Tariff. 

It has been my fortune, or perhaps my misfortune, to 
have differed with my own party with reference to some of 
the details of legislation. I have not hesitated, however, upon 
that account to express my views in the councils of the party. 
I felt that I had my credentials from a great sovereign state, 
one of forty-eight states in the Union, which trusted to my 
judgment, and it was my duty to exercise that judgment and 
to express freely my opinions whether they differed from the 
President’s or not, and I have expressed them. Twenty-two 
years of experience as your servant in congress gave me a 
right to express them. One of the favorite maxims of my 
political life is that reforms should be gradually accom¬ 
plished : First, because reform always brings about readjust¬ 
ments that are disturbing to business, and second because 
the party which makes or attempts to make too radical a 
reform creates readjustments in economic conditions that 
may bring about such disasters and suffering as to throw 
temporarily out of power the party intent upon reform, and 
thus make it absolutely powerless for good. And so when 
the Denver platform was made, your senator fought for a 
day in the platform committee for an assurance in the plat¬ 
form relating to the tariff that reductions should be grad¬ 
ually made towards a revenue basis. Not immediately made, 
not radically made, but gradually made. And later on at the 
Baltimore convention, your senator fought there in the plat¬ 
form committee for an assurance that the reform in the tariff 
would be accomplished in such a way as to bring about these 
readjustments without injury or destruction to any legiti¬ 
mate American industry. I thought that such a course was 
just, prudent and wise, and the party stood by me in the 
platform and in the convention itself. So, having taken that 
position in convention, I felt it was my duty to adhere to 
it in the Senate of the United States. I felt the reduction 
made by the proposed tariff was not sufficient to satisfy our 
pledges. I also felt that it should be gradually made and 
that whilst we should fix a standard even lower than that 
of the present tariff, we should provide for a gradual low¬ 
ering to that standard running over a period of three years, 
so that the reduction made would be apportioned between 
three years instead of being made entirely in one; and my 
contention was that a serious reduction in the tariff would 
have an encouraging effect upon foreign importations which 
might displace American labor and which might have a dis¬ 
couraging effect upon our manufacturers, who would halt 
from fear that foreign importations might take the place of 
the goods produced by themselves, by the aid of American 
labor. My judgment is that we can have in this country 
sound morals only through sound economics, and that sound 
economics involves moderation and self-restraint in every 
movement towards reforms that involve readjustments of 
business conditions. And so I contended and I contended 
to the final caucus of the party, when after presenting to it 
my views with as much vigor and earnestness as 1 could 
command and after its conclusion that it t\ould not be wise 
to make any modification, I yielded to its judgment and voted 


86 UTTERANCES OF THE PRESENT CAMPAIGN 


for the bill. I have no apologies to make for the course 
which I have pursued. My action is not misunderstood in 
Nevada, and it has not been misunderstood in the United 
States, and it is not misunderstood by the President of the 
United States, who has on occasion expressed his apprecia¬ 
tion of my candor, and so long as I represent the people of 
Nevada, I propose to conduct myself with the candor and the 
courage which should animate any man who represents such 
a people. 

Banking. 

Now, my friends, the banking question was another re¬ 
form. A money trust had undoubtedly been created in this 
country through the national banking system. All the re¬ 
serves of the country were drifting to New York, and the 
financiers there had learned how to make enormous fortunes 
out of other peoples’ money gathered from all parts of the 
country; and that organization of money trust was so pow¬ 
erful as to make the government, itself, tremble at times; 
it lad been so powerful as to control legislation and admin¬ 
istration. The President was right in calling for the reform 
of file banking system. The Democratic party had already 
led the way in its platform; it had already led the way 
through the action of its members in the Senate and the 
House, and it fell to the duty of the Senator from Nevada 
to present to the Aldrich bill, offered by Aldrich of Rhode 
Island, the Democratic protest against that legislation in 
the shape of resolutions which according to his judgment 
properly presented the demands of monetary and banking 
science, and your Senator was upheld in that contention by 
the Democracy of the Senate, and received the endorsement 
of that honored leader of the party, Mr. Bryan, who, in a 
letter, urged him to present his views in a bill. Your Senator 
declined at that time to do so because the Democratic party 
was in the minority and he\ feared that if he drew a bill the 
discussion would be confined to mere matters of detail and 
that we would lose sight of matters of principle; and he 
preferred to present the principles clearly and definitely in 
resolutions in antagonism to the Aldrich bill; and the Aldrich 
bill was beaten, or, at all events, did not come to final action. 
Now, with that experience, would you expect your Senator 
when the Democratic party came into power to abandon the 
convictions of a lifetime and to give immediate assent to 
all the features of a bill presented to the House of Repre¬ 
sentatives by the chairman of the committee there, drawn 
by a very able but rather inexperienced professor of a Vir¬ 
ginia university? At all events, your Senator did not think 
so; your Senator felt that there were certain defects in that 
measure, which, in the main was in accord with his long- 
entertained views, that ought to be remedied, whilst yet he 
favored its general tendency and principle, and he stood for 
his views as long as he could maintain them. They were 
views that had received the approval of the Democracy of 
the Senate the year before when he was opposing the 
Aldrich proposal and the very views that received the ap¬ 
proval of Mr. Bryan. Do you think your Senator lost caste 
among democrats for that independence of action? He may 


UTTERANCES OF THE PRESENT CAMPAIGN 87 

have lost caste among those who expect selfish subservience 
rather than independent courage from their representatives. 
But he did not have the disapproval of the Democracy of the 
countiy, noi of the President, nor of those whose views he 
opposed, who recognized his sincerity and his candor. That 
bill went through a great many changes as the result of the 
criticism imposed upon it and the bill as finally passed was 
quite different from the bill as originally introduced. As a 
iesult of the criticism passed upon it, it was an improved 
measure, though not a perfect measure. One of the objec¬ 
tions that I had to the bill is one of the objections that has 
since proved to be correct. I insisted that as half of the 
banks of this country were national and half of the banks 
of the country were state banks; and as the state banks 
were just as strong in deposits and capital as the national 
banks and more numerous; that a banking system which 
was half good and half bad would not meet emergencies; 
that our legislation should tend to bring state bank legis¬ 
lation in harmony with national bank legislation; and that 
this could be accomplished either through the force of 
national control over interstate commerce and over these 
state banks as the instrumentalities of interstate exchange, 
or by persuasion that would coax them to enter under the 
restriction of the federal law, and I advised the latter. I 
advised persuasion before resorting to force; there was no 
contention, however, upon the part of anybody that force 
should be used; and hence it was necessary that the per¬ 
suasion should be such as would persuade—as would be suc¬ 
cessful. I won’t enter into the details of the plan which 
I proposed. But, it is a well-known fact today that the chief 
trouble with the new banking system which has been intro¬ 
duced, and which is vastly superior to the old, is that as yet 
the state banks have not come under it and today the evil 
exists which I first pointed out, namely, that a chain is only 
as strong as the weakest link; and if your state link is a 
weak link, and your national link is a strong link, you have 
not as strong a system as you would have if both the state 
and national links were strong. And so events have vin¬ 
dicated my judgment there, though I finally yielded and 
voted with my party regarding the bill; and I may say re¬ 
garding the changes in the tariff that what I contended for 
occurred. 

Effect Upon Industry. 

A partial slowing down did occur in the manufacturing 
industries of the country; more as a result of a state of mind 
or, as the president declared, of a psychological condition 
than of actualities. Apprehension is oftentimes as dangerous 
as the reality. Men have died from fear of dying. And so 
it was with the tariff. A state of mind seized the manu¬ 
facturers of the country and they slowed up their enterprises 
waiting to see what action foreign manufacturers would take 
with reference to the importation of goods at the lower cus¬ 
toms duties, inspired by prudence lest they should overpro¬ 
duce and fasten upon themselves all the terrors of over¬ 
production. And so industry slowed up throughout the 
country. And the apprehension created among the bankers 


88 UTTERANCES OF THE PRESENT CAMPAIGN 


by the change in the banking system also had a psychological 
effect upon them and the very bill that was designed to 
loosen credit, and to make credit most easy at a most critical 
time, when the manufacturing industry needed support, that 
bill became a cause of alarm and apprehension, and instead 
of loosening credit the bankers commenced to tighten credit, 
to heap up the moneys in the banks and to/ check their 
loans throughout the country; and the inevitable effect was a 
restriction of exchange, and when you have a partial paralysis 
of exchange and partial paralysis of manufacture you have 
the conditions of hard times, and hard times were upon us. 
They have been fortunately averted; the turn has come; but 
there is no question that two or three months ago there was 
a condition of mind in the east with reference to the in¬ 
dustries of the country that threatened to drive the Demo¬ 
cratic party out of power and to deprive it of all opportunity 
of usefulness; the very condition that I predicted at the Den¬ 
ver convention, and the very condition that I predicted at 
the Baltimore convention, and the very condition which led 
those conventions to put in the plank that I insisted upon 
for the gradual and not an immediate and radical reduc¬ 
tion in the tariff. Now remember, I don’t contend for a 
moment that that reduction was too low; on the contrary, I 
said the bill did not cut low enough; that the ultimate tariff 
ought to be a lower one than that fixed in the bill, but my 
contention was that we ought to approach the lowest level by 
a gradual process. One of the illustrations I used was that 
Uncle Sam, yielding to persuasion, had climbed the giddy 
heights of protection, involving exaggerated costs of every¬ 
thing; and there he stood upon a high precipice, looking 
down and considering as to whether he would jump down 
or climb down; and I insisted that the wise thing to do was 
to climb down and not to jump down; that jumping meant 
destruction. 

Now, my friends, fortunately we have passed through 
that era, that psychological condition that brought a fear of 
depression, that distressed the country, and threatened the 
success of the Democratic party at the next election. We 
have passed through it. The attention of the public has been 
diverted from those conditions by the great catastrophe of 
war, the catastrophe which threatens the destruction of civi¬ 
lization, the civilization of the ages; the struggle in which 
the most enlightened and civilized nations of the world are 
engaged in the criminal work of destroying each other’s lives 
and property; destroying everything that science and inven¬ 
tion and art have accumulated, and remanding man to condi¬ 
tions of savagery—the condition of the brutes of the field, 
tearing at each other’s throats for mastery. And the country 
then realized that it had a great man at the helm; a man 
who, during a period of criticism and suspicion and distrust 
and ridicule had held true to the doctrine of watchful 
waiting with reference to the contentions in a neighboring 
state; realizing that it was no cure for the destruction of 
life going in there to destroy more lives; and that it would 
be a cruel thing, over the contentions and the internal dis¬ 
sensions of a neighboring state, to involve the happiness and 
the prosperity of our own country. And this man, firm 



• ( t 


UTTERANCES OF THE PRESENT CAMPAIGN 89 

where ridicule and contempt were expressed, found his opin- 
1C> u v | n ^ lca ^ ec ^ by the judgment of the country. And the man 
who has thus preserved the nation’s peace will yet be called 
to re-establish the world’s peace. 

Trust Legislation. 

Now, my friends, there is another question that came up, 
and that is the question of trust legislation; and here I am 
happy to say that the Senator from Nevada—your public 
servant—met with sympathetic response. I had for long 
years been urging the Trade Commission bill in the Senate 
of the United States, insisting upon it that the attorney gen¬ 
eral’s office had failed in the enforcement of the Sherman 
Anti-Trust law; that although the Sherman Anti-Trust law 
and the Interstate Commerce act were passed at the same 
time—one proposing to control the trusts and the other the 
railroads that the enforcement of the railroad act had been 
effective, so much so that almost every railroad problem in 
the country was settled; whilst the administration of the 
trust act was unsettled; the trusts during this entire period 
growing stronger and stronger; and I claimed that the evil 
in the original anti-trust act was that its enforcement was 
entrusted not to an independent tribunal like the Interstate 
Commerce Commission, judicial and nonpartisan in character, 
subject to but little change in its membership and having 
continuity of policy and purpose, but to a political denart- 
ment, the attorney general’s office, to the fitful and shifting 
and evasive administration of a single official who was 
changed as much as five times in one administration, thus 
absolutely preventing that continuity of purpose so essential 
to the administration of a great act. I claimed that if an 
Interstate Trade Commission had been organized for the en¬ 
forcement of the Sherm.an Anti-Trust Act at the same time 
that the Interstate Commerce Commission had been or¬ 
ganized for the regulation of the railroads, that by this time 
the trust question would have been as thoroughly settled as 
the railway question has been. For today the railroads feed 
out of the people’s hands, and this change from mastery to 
servitude has been accomplished through the wise action of 
a quasi-judicial body, not subject mutations in office—not 
subject to partisan politics, not subject to having its policy 
changed by a nod from the executive, slowing down its 
action in the face of the threatened powers of the railroads 
at the coming election, and not accelerated by the anger of 
a president proposing to take revenge upon some recalcitrant 
corporation. And so, having fought for this measure for 
years, I was exceedingly solicitous that it should be passed. 
Whilst at first the judgment of the Democrats of the Senate 
was against it, and at first the opinion of the President him¬ 
self was against it, yet the President exhausting, as he 
always does before making a decision, the opinions of those 
well informed, finally came back to Washington from his 
trip to the Gulf of Mexico, and announced that he stood for 
the Trade Commission bill, and called upon the Interstate 
Commerce committee of the senate, of which I was chair¬ 
man, and the Judiciary committee of the House, to frame 


90 UTTERANCES OF THE PRESENT CAMPAIGN 


the bill; and the bill was framed on the lines of the measure 
that your Senator had introduced nearly four years ago. It 
has passed both houses, and has been signed by the Presi¬ 
dent. It was with reference to that bill that the President, 
in his admirable exposition of his inner self, which you have 
doubtless read, in which he said that he failed to recognize 
the portrait of himself as presented in the papers, referred 
to the fact that he never exhausted inquiry until a message 
was presented to Congress. Your Nevada Senator, to whom 
he had read his first draft of his message regarding the 
trusts, stated that the message as presented was much better 
than the one originally read to him; and his answer was 
that no message with him was finished until the very mo¬ 
ment it was delivered in the House of Representatives. That 
was a true picture of the quality of the man’s mind—patient, 
exhaustive, considerate to the last degree. I have been 
brought into association with many presidents and I have 
never encountered a president, not even McKinley himself, 
more tolerant of the views of others, more considerate of 
their expressions, more tac.tful in the announcement of his 
own opinion. Never at all as the masterful man who com¬ 
mands, but as the tactful man who persuades. 

The Interests of Nevada. 

Now, my friends, I have held you longer than I intended 
to. It is very interesting to me to go over these thingo. It 
had not occurred to me before I came here to speak as I have 
tonight. I intended to speak upon an entirely different sub¬ 
ject, but I feel that I have held you long enough. I will only 
add one general observation and that is to say that I hope 
you do not think that in a very active life at Washington 
I have been neglectful of the interests of this state, as some 
of my opponents contend. I know it is contended that some 
men might better serve the state by confining themselves en¬ 
tirely to local problems and not engaging their energies in great 
national and world-wide problems. I have never thought so. I 
have never thought that a man could be influential with refer¬ 
ence to local problems who did not demonstrate in the great 
forum of the nation his ability to counsel with others over ques¬ 
tions of national and world-wide importance; but I hope you 
do not believe that I have been neglectful of the interests 
of this state. I have had in view all the time its various 
industries, its industrial affairs, and I have done what I could 
to advance them. You all know that the reclamation act 
was passed when I was a member of the House; and you 
know my identification with that. But I was not content 
with that. I was appointed by President Roosevelt as a 
member of the Inland Waterways Commission, and I became, 
through traveling as we did over all the waters of the country 
upon one of the engineers’ boats of the war department— 
I became familiar with the national waterways and their 
tributaries, and I began to realize that irrigation was not the 
only question connected with water; that water was a great 
national asset; that it could be made a productive or benefi¬ 
cent agency in some fields, as well as the agency of enormous 
destruction in other fields; that as it constitutes 75 or 80 


UTTERANCES OF THE PRESENT CAMPAIGN 91 


per cent of human organisms, of all plant life and animal 
life, it is one of the most important assets of the nation, and 
its beneficent use should be everywhere encouraged, and the 
result of that observation was that the treatment of water 
should involve the control of the water from the time it 
falls from the clouds, that man, unable to control the fall 
of water from the clouds, should seize that water as soon 
as it falls upon the earth and adapt it to the needs of man, 
holding it for beneficent purposes and preventing it from 
being used for destructive purposes. I found that the floods 
alone cost the country two hundred million dollars a year; 
we have been losing that from its destructive use, and no 
mind can measure the value that comes from the beneficent 
use of water. 

The River Regulation Bill. 

And so a bill was framed called the River Regulation 
bill, which I had the honor to introduce five or six years 
ago, embracing the conclusions reached by the Inland Water¬ 
way commission, and that has been before the country. 

I regret that it has not received as much consideration and 
attention in the state of Nevada as it has throughout the 
country. That bill, bearing your Senator’s name, is known 
in every section. It has been the ground of contention and 
argument in conventions and chambers of commerce and in 
legislatures; seven legislatures have ratified the bill and rec¬ 
ommended it; and only the other day a Waterways conven¬ 
tion was held in Stockton, Cal., representing every section 
of that state, the south as well as the north, at which dis¬ 
cussion was held over that bill, the projectors of the Sacra¬ 
mento river insisting that it should be modified to meet the 
exigencies of that particular project; and the result was 
after many days of debate, that that bill was enthusiastically 
endorsed by that convention. Now that bill won its way 
as a non-partisan measure, supported by Democrats and 
Republicans, and has been presented to the President of the 
United States for his consideration. The President of the 
United States, acting with that accuracy and promptitude with 
which he always acts, wrote a letter to the secretaries of 
war, interior, agriculture, and commerce, enclosing the bill 
and’ asking them to give their views upon it. And they 
brought together the members of the scientific services of 
these various departments in council. They held council 
over that for two months, and the result was favorable 
report upon the principles of the bill, which was endorsed 
by the cabinet committee; and the further result was that 
as an addition to the River and Harbor bill an amendment 
was put, with the sanction of the president, providing not 
for my bill in its fullest details but for the oiganization 
simply the organization, and a small appropriation for that 
organization, with a view of marching on hereaftei to its 
fullest development. That bill calls for an appropriation of 
$60 000 000 dollars annually for the next ten years, and it ap¬ 
portions it to the different sections of the country; and 
your Senator was not indifferent to the wants of Nevada, for, 
though Nevada has not a navigable stream within its borders, 
the state of Nevada was added to one of those drainage 


92 UTTERANCES OF THE PRESENT CAMPAIGN 


areas, that of the Colorado river, and it and Arizona and a 
part of Utah are in the same region and to that region is 
appropriated $5,000,000 annually for the next ten years, or 
$50,000,000; and that money is to be spent for the regulation 
and control of water throughout the United States, $600,- 
000,000 in all during the next ten years; not simply in the 
promotion of navigation, but in the control of the water 
from the source to the mouth of all those streams, the di¬ 
version of these waters into great storage reservoirs, the 
placing of this water upon the arid lands in order that they 
may be made productive; the storage of the water in the soil 
itself, the soil itself constituting the best reservoir that can 
be designed for water, gradually making its way, after it has 
performed its functions of promoting plant growth, back by a 
process of seepage to the stream, increasing the stream and 
maintaining its channel for purposes of navigation. It has in 
view, also, the development of water power of the country; 
the use of this water in falling from one level to another in 
the development of electric energy which has entered into 
the daily convenience and comfort of the lives of the people 
more than any other element. Then the bill provides for the 
control of those waters in the lower reaches of the swamp 
land regions, so that swamp land regions of enormous reach 
at the bottoms of these rivers, and particularly the Mis¬ 
sissippi river, constitute deltas of unparalelled richness, even 
surpassing the richness of the Nile, and be turned into a 
region like Holland, with dykes and canals draining the rich 
lands and at the same time furnishing the means of trans¬ 
portation. So that every purpose—irrigation, water power de¬ 
velopment, swamp land reclamation, and navigation itself is 
covered by this bill. The people of the United States are 
hardly, conscious how far navigation has been destroyed 
through the opposition of the railroads themselves and their 
great power in administration and legislation, for as the 
waterway is the cheapest method of transportation where it 
is available, railroads running near their banks, envious of 
the profits which they were taking away from them, have 
pursued a policy that meant the abandonment of the water¬ 
ways by a system of ruinous competition during the summer 
period of transportation, and then raising their rates to a 
compensatory basis during the winter time when the river 
could not be used, thus destroying and driving out of busi¬ 
ness the water carriage of the country, a thing that has not 
been allowed in France, Austria, Germany or Italy, where 
the rivers have been developed as a means of transporta¬ 
tion equal to the railroads, each supplementing the other, 
the public policy not permitting in any degree the suppres¬ 
sion of one by the other. 

Now, I am happy to say, that that bill is on the way 
towards a successful conclusion. You have all observed the 
debate that has been held over the River and Harbor bill 
recently. The great antagonist to my bill is the great River 
and Harbor bill, a bill which relies mainly upon the in¬ 
dividual effort of a congressman or a senator to get so much 
appropriation for his particular district. The permanence of 
that senator or congressman in office depends upon his ability 
to get it, and not upon the merit of the project. You can 


UTTERANCES OF THE PRESENT CAMPAIGN 93 


imagine what such a system is like, and the sentiment of the 
country has now recoiled against it; and Senator Burton, one 
of the best of the Republican legislators, who served with 
me on the Water commission, has been in insurrection 
against it, and the tremendous opposition made against it 
compelled the Democrats themselves to halt. During that 
debate many of those Republicans, such men as Senator 
Kenyon and Senator Cummins were asked if the Newlands’ 
River Regulation bill were substituted for the River and 
Harbor bill, would they accept it, and they answered that 
they w T ould. So this amendment is in no sense a partisan 
measure; Republicans are struggling just as strongly for it 
as Democrats; so I am in hopes that for the River and Har¬ 
bor bill we will have substituted the Newlands River Regula¬ 
tion bill of the future. I apply that term because it is known 
throughout the country by that name. 

I thank you very much for the patient attention you have 
given this long speech, and I again claim as my excuse the 
temptation that such good attention always gives to a 
speaker. I thank you very much. 


CONTENTS 


Page 

To the Voters of Nevada. 1 

Extract from Democratic Platform. 3 

Irrigation: 

History of the Reclamation Act. 5 

Roosevelt’s Change of Statement. 7 

Mr. Newlands’ Own Story. 7 

Newlands’ Bill Adopted by Western Men. 8 

What Roosevelt Did. 10 

Calendar of Mr. Newlands’ Work for Irrigation. 11 

Labor Legislation: 

Hours and Compensation of Labor. 15 

Eight-hour Law in Colorado. 16 

Eight-hour Law on Public Work. 17 

Hours of Railroad Telegraphers. 17 

Automatic Couplers on Railroads. 18 

Exemption of Labor Unions from Anti-trust Laws.... 18 

Labor in Hawaii. 18 

Employers’ Liability Bill. 18 

Injuries to Government Employees. 18 

Use of Automatic-dumping Ashpans. 18 

Claims of Employees in Public Buildings for Over¬ 
time . 18 

Protection of Free Labor. 19 

Mediation and Conciliation between Railroads and 

their Employees. 19 

Newspaper Comments on Newlands Amendment to 

Erdman Act. 19 

Prison-made Goods. 22 

Calendar of Mr. Newlands’ Work on Labor Legislation 22 

Trust Legislation—Federal Trade Commission. 25 

Mr. Newlands a Pioneer. 26 

Mr. Newlands’ Work Praised. 27 

Calendar of Mr. Newlands’ Work on Trusts. 28 

Waterways: 

How the Waterways Bill Interests Nevada. 31 

A Few Favorable Comments. 32 

Calendar of Mr. Newlands’ Activities on Waterways. . 35 






























Page 

Auxiliary Navy and Naval Reserve. 39 

Senator Hale's Admissions. 40 

Plan Wins Support. 43 

Legislative Program. 45 

Calendar of Mr. Newlands’ Work for Legislative 

Program . 50 

Service on Committees in Congress. 51 

Matters of Interest to Nevada.. ; 54 

Nevada War Claims. 54 

Carson Mint. 55 

Legalization of Conveyances Within Railroad Right 

of Way. 58 

Nevada Indians. 58 

Tax Reduction. 59 

A Defense of Nevada. 61 

The Future of Nevada. 62 

The New Day in Nevada. 64 

Extension of the Reclamation Work. 66 

Mr. Newell’s Letter. 68 

Calendar of Some of Mr. Newlands’ Work for Nevada. 70 

Charges of Absenteeism. 75 

Mr. Newlands’ Own Statement. 75 

Senator Newlands’ Standing Outside of Nevada. 77 

Newspaper Utterances. 77 

Mr. Bryan’s Editorial. 80 

Secretary Lane’s Letter. 82 

Utterances of the Present Campaign; Speech of Mr. New¬ 
lands at Carson City, September 30, 1914.83 







































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